Anderson Cooper Says He and Boyfriend Benjamin Maisani Split 'Some Time Ago'

"Benjamin and I separated as boyfriends some time ago. We are still family to each other, and love each other very much," Cooper told PEOPLE in a statement

Anderson Cooper has confirmed that he and longtime boyfriend Benjamin Maisani have broken up.

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

This news was first reported by the Daily Mail.

Benjamin Maisani and Anderson Cooper. Theo Wargo/WireImage

Although Cooper, 50, did not elaborate on the reasons behind their split, in 2017 he told PEOPLE that if there was one thing his partner complained about, it was how much time he spent traveling.

“I’m definitely a workaholic,” Cooper told PEOPLE.

“I’m off about one weekend a month. During the week I’m on CNN, and also work for 60 Minutes — most of the weekends are traveling for CNN or 60 minutes,” he continued, adding that he also spends time performing with his friend Andy Cohen.

“I think he’s annoyed that I travel so much but he also knows how much I like it. He’s kind of used to it,” he said. “He’s never asked me not to go somewhere. He’s pretty understanding that the job requires travel, and he’s cool with that.”

Despite Cooper’s jam-packed schedule, the pair made some time to travel before their split, vacationing in Tahiti together in July alongside Bradley Cooper, Irina Shayk, Allison Williams, Diane von Furstenberg and Cohen.

Diane von Furstenberg's Instagram

Months earlier, the pair traveled to Venice, where Cooper said Maisani made them go “to every single museum.”

In 2014, Maisani spoke to French Morning about the public attention surrounding the pair’s relationship — and why they had been so careful about keeping it as private as possible.

“I understand that it interests people, but it doesn’t interest me,” the French native and nightclub mogul said. “Like most people, I never really thought about it, and I never wanted to be a celebrity. I knew I’d have to be careful right from the start before it had a chance to get out of hand.”

Updated by Natalie Stone