The Walking Dead actor Norman Reedus has partially confirmed rumours about his character Daryl’s sexuality this week, revealing he has been playing him as “prison gay.”

Following an announcement by the show’s co-creator Scott M Gimple last month that a gay character would be joining the cast, Reedus has commented on popular fan speculation that his character, Daryl Dixon, might be closeted.

Speaking to GQ magazine, he revealed he has been playing Daryl as in denial about his sexuality since the start of the second season, after the show’s creator an original showrunner Frank Darabont pitched him the idea at a party.

He said: “I remember [talking to] Frank Darabont, after the first season – we were at a party in LA.

“He said, ‘I’ve got an idea for Daryl. He’s gay. Would you be interested in that?’ I was like, ‘Let me hear you out.’ He said, ‘Well, he’s prison gay. Like, you’ll catch him looking at a member of the same sex, but if you mention it to him, he’ll just stab you and be like, What the fuck? He will never admit it.’ I was like, ‘That’ll blow minds – let’s do that.'”

Reedus added: “He’s definitely not a ladies’ man or thinks of himself as having enough confidence to be that type of person.

“I want to play him searching for confidence, not full of confidence, you know what I mean? I like all the little things that are awkward … I would rather play him like not somebody that’s got cool-guy moves or anything like that.”

Daryl – one of the show’s main character’s – has only had close friendships with women on the show, not romantic relationships.

The comics on which the show is based feature several gay characters. Dixon’s character, however, is not present in the comics.