Hollyoaks star Peter McPherson has revealed his HIV diagnosis.
The actor broke down in tears as he bravely spoke about living with the virus during an interview with Virgin Radio Pride.
Peter, who played Gareth in the E4 soap, was accompanied in the studio by his husband David Allwood.
Speaking to host Graeme Smith, the soap star recalled how she informed David of her HIV-positive status when they first met in 2013.
He said: “We were in Singapore at the time and, as I was always told, it is very important that when you have a sexual partner you tell them…
Hollyoaks star Peter McPherson has revealed his HIV diagnosis
Peter played Gareth, a man whom Carter Shepherd attempted to ‘cure’ of his homosexuality, in Hollyoaks from September 2023 to May 2024.
“When I was first diagnosed, there were two camps: there were people who were treated immediately and then the treatment was delayed because they didn’t know what it would affect in the long term.
So I was late, but yeah, I told you right away and David blew me away because he knew what he was doing and he didn’t let himself be deterred, and that put me at ease right away.
Peter is currently taking the HIV drug Delstrigo, which keeps his HIV infection under control and ensures that he remains undetectable and untransmittable.
David takes PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a medication that prevents HIV from entering his body and reproducing.
During the interview, Peter recounted how he received his diagnosis and recalled that he initially went to the hospital with flu-like symptoms.
He said: ‘My story was that I got very sick. And it is what they call seroconversion when the body contracts the virus. And I didn’t know what it was.
‘Some people get nothing. Some people get like a cold. Mine was like the flu. And to the point of being so sick, I ended up in the hospital.
‘They did all these tests and couldn’t find anything. And they said, ‘You know, you’re a gay man.’ Have you had unprotected sex? And I said, ‘Yes.’
And they said, ‘Okay, we’ve admitted you to the sexual health clinic here at the hospital.’ Let’s check you out. Go straight there. “They will be waiting for you and will give you the test.”
Feeling scared, Peter went home and looked up HIV symptoms online.
Realizing he had them, he called a helpline who advised him to go to a clinic for a rapid test, to which Peter’s father took him.
After testing positive, Peter broke the news to his father and said the first thing he said was, ‘How long does he have to live?’
However, the medical team told Peter’s father that his diagnosis did not mean death and that he would still live a long and healthy life.
Peter said: “The fortunate thing is that he was surrounded by medical professionals, people who could explain to him, people who could tell him what was going to happen.” They reassured him.
‘They were really, really great. Like, ‘No, it’s not like that, it’s not like that anymore.’ You know, he’s not going to die. He will live a long and 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 mother.
‘So in a way I’m very lucky that my parents and my family have always known that from day one. I’ve never had to keep a secret from them.
You know, they’ve always supported me. Every time I get tested, like I did last week, I get my results back and think I’m still undetectable. My kidney and all this is, you know, great.’
Peter had previously faced hurtful comments about being HIV positive from potential sexual partners he met on the gay dating app Grindr.
He said: “I’ve had messages, people saying things like: ‘It’s a shame you’ve gone to waste, you’ve gone broke.’
“Fortunately, I’m pretty strong-willed and in a good place mentally, but that can be very detrimental to someone who isn’t.”
Peter played Gareth, a man whom Carter Shepherd attempted to “cure” of his homosexuality, in Hollyoaks from September 2023 to May 2024.
