EASTENDERS heartthrob Zack Hudson will discover he has HIV in a hard-hitting new storyline - twenty years after they made history with Mark Fowler’s diagnosis.
The BBC soap is working with the Terrence Higgins Trust for the dramatic plot that will see chef Zack, played by James Farrar, 35, told he is HIV positive.
Viewers will watch on Tuesday as Zack is told by an old friend, called Brett, that he has HIV.
Brett will then be seen encouraging Zack to get tested himself – who in turn is told he has the condition.
Soap bosses have worked with the charity to accurately reflect and raise awareness of HIV, from the aftermath of receiving a diagnosis to the treatment options and implications for Zack reflecting what it is now like to live with the virus.
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A source said: “This is a huge storyline for James and EastEnders.
“They have worked incredibly hard to ensure that all the details are correct.
“It will be an emotive watch for viewers.”
EastEnders have worked with the Terrence Higgins Trust on the storyline.
The charity’s Chief Executive Ian Green told The Sun: “It’s been incredible to work with EastEnders on Zack’s story to show people across the UK that an HIV diagnosis doesn’t have to stop you from living life to the fullest.”
EastEnders made history in the 1990s when it tackled the subject with Mark Fowler catching HIV - and later developing AIDS.
The beloved character, played by Todd Carty, left Walford in 2003 - before dying off-screen a year later.
The new storyline will show the developments in treatment for HIV and how things have changed from Mark’s day.
Ian added: “During the height of the HIV epidemic in the 1990s, we worked with EastEnders on Mark Fowler’s story to ensure HIV was portrayed accurately on screen.
“Mark was the first mainstream British TV character to be diagnosed with HIV.
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“His story was viewed by millions and helped change attitudes about the virus when fear and misinformation was rife.”
“Over 30 years on from Mark’s storyline and sadly myths about HIV are still held by far too many people.
“The incredible progress we’ve made around HIV means people on effective HIV treatment can’t pass on the virus and can have a normal lifespan.
“We hope that Zack’s storyline will educate viewers on the reality of HIV in 2023 and spark conversations in living rooms across the UK.”
EastEnders boss Chris Clenshaw added: “EastEnders has never shied away from covering sensitive issues and Zack’s story is one of these.
“There are still so many myths and disinformation surrounding HIV, so working closely with Terrence Higgins Trust has enabled us to really understand what it is like for those that are diagnosed with HIV and we hope that this storyline will bring more awareness of HIV and what it is like to live with the virus in 2023.”
