Sir Elton John has revealed on Whoopi Goldberg's chat show The View that his new play, 'Next Fall', reflects some of the struggles he had coming out as gay.

John, 62, produced the play, which is a bittersweet comedy that opened on Broadway on March 12, with his partner David Furnish.

It was written by Geoffrey Nauffts, and tells the story of a gay couple, one of whom hasn't come out as gay to his parents and struggles with the conflict with his religion.

John told Goldberg, 54, that he could totally identify with the troubled protagonist.

"I came out...at the height of my career and, yeah, it maybe hurt me a little bit but not that much and it gave me the freedom to be who I was for the rest of my life and I didn't have to live my life in secret," the Mirror quoted him as saying.

"I'm proud of who I am. The worst thing is to just hide and be afraid of who you are.

"I didn't really want people to know. I didn't have the courage in my convictions and I think as soon as I did that - when I was asked a simple question in a magazine and I said 'yes' - my life transformed itself.

"I don't have any secrets now. I know it is very difficult for lots of people in different jobs but the best thing I ever did was be true to myself," he added. (ANI)