CNN news host Anderson Cooper and longtime boyfriend Benjamin Maisani splits up

CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper confirmed on Thursday that he and his longtime boyfriend of nine years, Benjamin Maisani, have broken up.

Cooper, 50, said in a statement , “Benjamin and I separated as boyfriends some time ago. We are still family to each other, and love each other very much. We remain the best of friends, and will continue to share much of our lives together.”

Although Cooper didn’t get into specifics about why the pair splits and the tabloid claims Cooper has already been spending time with someone else since the breakup (a doctor in Dallas) named Victor Lopez.