HOLLYOAKS star Peter McPherson has bravely revealed he is HIV positive.
Actor Peter, 40, broke down in tears during a hard-hitting discussion with Virgin Radio Pride, marking the first time he’s spoken with a national outlet about living with the virus.
In the interview, which has been exclusively shared with The Sun ahead of its 6pm broadcast today, the former soap star told presenter Graeme Smith that he’s been positive for over 10 years.
Joined in the studio by his husband David Allwood, Peter – who formerly played Gareth on the Channel 4 soap – reflected on disclosing his diagnosis before they became sexually active.
Already living with HIV when they first met in 2013, he said: “We were in Singapore at the time and, because I was always told it’s really important when you have a sexual partner that you tell them…
“When I was first diagnosed there was two camps, there was people on treatment straight away and then there was delayed treatment because they didn’t know how it would affect in the long term.
“So, I was delayed but, yeah, I told you straight away and I was gobsmacked by David because he knew his stuff and he wasn’t phased by it and that just put me at ease straight away.”
David is on PrEP, a wonder drug that decreases the risk of developing HIV by roughly 99 percent, continuing to test negative after eleven years.
Peter, meanwhile, is currently on the HIV medication Delstrigo, which keeps infected blood cells at a low level and ensures he remains undetectable and untransmittable.
But, while he’s found acceptance in the choreographer, he told Graeme of previous heartbreaking rejections as a result of the condition.
Peter said: “I went to college with someone and we always liked each other, never got together.
“Years after college, we actually went on a date and it went really well and I disclosed to him my status.
“And then, the next day, I got a message and just being like, ‘Oh this is… I feel uncomfortable about it, it’s not going to work.’ And I was a bit like, ‘Whoa!’
“That was the first time I’d ever really dealt with that kind of rejection in a sense.”
The screen and stage star also faced hurtful messages from potential sexual partners he’d met on the dating app, Grindr.
He continued: “I’ve had messages, people saying things like, ‘Such a shame you spoilt yourself, you’ve ruined yourself.’
“Luckily I’m quite strong willed and in a good place mentally, but that can be very damaging to someone who’s not.”
Later in the conversation, Peter shared his diagnosis experience, telling the host how he’d initially ended up in hospital with flu-like symptoms.
He explained: “My story was, I got really ill. And it’s what they call seroconversion when your body takes on the virus. And I didn’t know what it was.
“Some people get nothing. Some people get like a cold. Mine was like flu. And to the point where I was so sick, I ended in hospital.
“They did all these tests and they couldn’t find anything. And they said, ‘You know, you’re a gay man. Have you been having unprotected sex?’ And I said, ‘Yes.’
“And they said, ‘Okay, we’ve booked you into the sexual health clinic here in the hospital. We’re going to check you out. Go straight there. They’ll be expecting you and they’ll do the test.'”
Feeling scared, Peter went home instead and soon travelled to his parents’ house, where he Googled HIV synptoms.
Realising that he likely had the virus, he called a helpline and was advised to visit a clinic for a rapid test, which his father drove him to.
After testing positive, Peter broke the news to his parent, explaining through tears: “The first thing he said was, ‘How long has he got left to live?’
“The lucky thing is that I was surrounded by medical professional people – the people who could explain, people who could tell him what was going to happen. They put him at ease.
“They were really, really great. Like, ‘No, it doesn’t, it’s not like that anymore. You know, he’s not going to die. He’s going to live a long, healthy life.’
“And then we went to the hospital straight after, did more tests there. And then when I got home, I had to break the news to my mum.
“So in one way, I’m really fortunate that my parents and my family have always known from day one. I’ve never had to keep a secret from them.
“They’ve always, you know, supportive. Every time I get tested, like I got tested last week, got my results and I’m like, I’m still undetectable. My kidney and all this is, you know, great.”
Most people infected with HIV experience a short, flu-like illness that occurs 2-6 weeks after infection.
After this, HIV may not cause any symptoms for several years.
It’s estimated up to 80% of people who are infected with HIV experience this flu-like illness.
The most common symptoms are:
Other symptoms can include:
The only way to find out if you have HIV is to have an HIV test, seeing as symptoms may not appear for many years.
HIV testing is provided to anyone free of charge on the NHS.
You can go to:
You also have the option of using home testing kits you can use if you do not want to visit any of these places.
Source: NHS
Along with HIV expert Susan Cole, the couple are pushing for the UK to become free from the virus by 2030 with the administration of oral and injectable PrEP medications.
They stressed that the biggest challenge they face is members of the public being uninformed about the virus’ facts and the stigma associated, still.
Peter added: “Lots of people in media and entertainment keep their HIV status very private.
“I can think of a handful of people that I know very personally who aren’t planning to go public on their status.”
On why he takes a different approach, he said: “It’s how I am in my work as an actor. My thing is never to like hide behind a mask and a character.
“It’s always to reveal and to be open and to be honest. And I’ve never got anything other than positivity back.”
