I did not get this memo

Grey's Anatomy's T.R. Knight is gay, he has confirmed exclusively to PEOPLE.

"I guess there have been a few questions about my sexuality, and I'd like to quiet any unnecessary rumors that may be out there," Knight tells PEOPLE in a statement.

"While I prefer to keep my personal life private, I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most interesting part of me."

Knight, 33, plays the unassuming Dr. George O'Malley on the hit ABC drama. A Minneapolis native, he began his career in that city's famed Guthrie Theater.