The Walking Dead’s showrunner is responding to comments from Robert Kirkman that suggested Daryl Dixon is gay.

Earlier this month Kirkman told ComicBook.com that Daryl (played by Norman Reedus) being gay “had been considered,” but they weren’t ready to officially say anything about the character’s sexuality because they haven’t had time to share it in the storyline.

Now, speaking to TV Line, showrunner Scott M. Gimple says that while they aren’t ready to say if Daryl is gay, there will be a gay male character on the show in the future.

Gimple says the reason Daryl’s sexuality hasn’t been addressed on the show is because that’s the type of person he is: Someone who’s closed off. “We know all sorts of things about the characters that we haven’t revealed,” he said, “[But] we’re not holding back information on Daryl’s sexuality as any sort of big reveal. The fact that there’s still a question as to what Daryl’s orientation is in season 5 absolutely speaks to Daryl’s character; he is a very guarded, very closed-off individual in a lot of ways.

“We have been able to see him ever so slowly open up and show the other characters aspect by aspect as to what makes him tick. That’s been a very satisfying journey for all of us on the creative side to portray. [And] he’s still on that journey.”

Gimple says that Daryl will “grow closer” to others – but didn’t say if he’ll do it romantically or verbally. “This is a character who is going to continue to grow closer to the other characters,” he said, “[and] let his guard down, and let them see just who he is, in every way.”

The showrunner wouldn’t say when the aforementioned gay character will be introduced, but did say that Daryl’s sexuality is “not really addressed” in season 5.

The Walking Dead season 5 premieres this October on AMC.