Ricky Martin has told Oprah Winfrey about the moment he decided to announce he was gay.

The Puerto Rican star posted a message on his website declaring himself to be a “fortunate gay man” but says he broke down in tears afterwards.

He said: “When I realised, okay, I just pressed send, whoo… I was alone.

“I was in my studio alone for a minute. My assistant walked in and I just started crying like a little baby. I started crying.”

The 38-year-old said he decided to be open about his sexuality to set a good example to his twin sons, Valentine and Matteo, two.

He said: “I couldn’t take it anymore, it was too painful.

“But I guess the most important thing is my children… When I was holding them in my arms I was like, ‘What, am I gonna teach them how to lie?’ Whoa, that is my blessing right there. Then, when I was holding my children I said, ‘Okay, it’s time to tell the world’.”

Winfrey also spoke to lesbian actress Portia DeGeneres this week about her struggle to overcome anorexia.

The star, who recently took wife Ellen’s name, was promoting her memoirs, titled ‘Unbearable Lightness: A story of loss and gain’.

She said: “I remember starting that diet, thinking … ‘I’d rather die than fail another diet.’ ”

She also revealed that she embarked on a 300-calorie-per-day diet that led her to weigh a staggering 82 pounds.

“It wasn’t that I was proud of it, but it was certainly a recognition for my self-control. I definitely had some pretty amazing will power to get down to 82 pounds. And that’s what I was holding on to. I didn’t think about anything else.”