Los Angeles, Sep 28 (IANS): Former child actor Danny Pintauro, who played Jonathan on popular sitcom “Who's the Boss?”, has revealed that he is HIV positive.

Pintauro, told talk show queen Oprah Winfrey during Saturday's episode of “Oprah: Where Are They Now?” that he was diagnosed with the virus in 2003 but awaited until now to go public with the news, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

“I wanted to tell you this a long time ago, but I wasn't ready - I'm ready now - that I'm HIV positive, and I have been for 12 years. It's just a big deal. It's not something that people are talking about right now really,” Pintauro, 39, said.

Pintauro, who came out as gay in 1997, explained that he had been forced out at the time by a tabloid magazine reporter.

He said he is now hoping to serve as a role model for those with the virus.

"I missed the opportunity to be a beacon of light for gay kids who were going through what I was going through because I was outed - it wasn't by choice," he said.

Pintauro explained that he was initially worried that the diagnosis would mean that he would have trouble starting a romantic relationship.

In 2014, Pintauro married Wil Tabares, whom he met after his diagnosis.