Savage Garden singer marries gay partner in UK

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Darren Hayes, one-half of defunct
Australian pop duo Savage Garden, said he married his boyfriend
in a recent civil ceremony in London.

The announcement, made to fans Monday on Hayes’ web site,
offered a rare insight into his private life, which he has long
kept under wraps.

“As so many of you have given me your heart and soul over
the past 10 years I thought it only fitting that I too return
the respect and inform you of the most significant event in my
life,” Hayes wrote.

“On June 19th 2006 I married my boyfriend of two years,
Richard (Cullen), in a civil partnership ceremony in London. I
can honestly say it was the happiest day of my life.”

While Hayes said he finally felt “secure and content” in
his heart, he reaffirmed his belief that “families and
relationships are not commodities to be sold off for public
consumption,” and would therefore remain “a public person with
a private life.” He was briefly married in the late 1990s to a
longtime female friend.

On the professional side, the 34-year-old is about to spend
six months in London recording his third solo album for an
unspecified new label. He announced earlier this month that he
had split with his home of 10 years, Columbia Records.

Singer/songwriter Hayes and producer/multi-instrumentalist
Daniel Jones formed Savage Garden in 1994. Their two albums,
1997′s self-titled debut and 1999′s “Affirmation” sold more
than 23 million copies combined worldwide. The duo also topped
the U.S. singles charts with the tunes “I Knew I Loved You” and
“Truly, Madly, Deeply.” They split in 2001, and Hayes released
his solo debut, “Spin,” the following year.

Reuters