EastEnders star James Farrar has revealed that people have shockingly “refused” to shake his hand after his soap character’s HIV storyline.
The 35-year-old is best known for playing Zack Hudson in the BBC soap, and his character’s recent storyline has garnered praise from far and wide for tackling the sensitive topic.
But the father-of-one has revealed that while many fans have been full of admiration for the actor and the show as they watched Zack struggle to come to terms with being HIV positive, others have shocked him with their archaic views.
The soap star left The One Show host Alex Jones stunned on Friday's programme when he confessed how some members of the public have reacted to his character's storyline.
James spoke with passion as he talked about his role and the research he has put in to accurately portray the effects of the diagnosis.
But the actor also revealed that misconceptions of how the disease can spread are still commonplace as he explained to presenters Alex and Ronan Keating: "It’s storytelling at its best, you’ll see the Walford residents on Monday – it’s a similar reaction to what Peggy Mitchell, Barbara Windsor had which was you’re not coming in my pub because I don’t wanna catch this.
“Where within my story it’s been people saying that you can catch it from toilet seats and shaking hands.”
He then revealed: "I’ve had it out there in the public, where people have gone ‘Ugh I better not shake your hand.’ Whether it’s tongue-in-cheek or not, it’s not acceptable either.
A stunned Alex Jones said: “It’s surprising that you say that.”
“It’s still happening,” he added.
Zack’s diagnosis is the second time in EastEnders' history that they have tackled an HIV storyline.
Thirty years ago, Martin’s (James Bye) brother Mark Fowler (Todd Carty) was revealed to have the virus.
The show is working closely with Terence Higgins Trust to accurately reflect and raise awareness of HIV.
Zack’s positive status was revealed after he began experiencing health problems and went to the hospital to get checked out.
After undergoing several tests, he was informed that he was HIV positive. The results came as a huge shock to Zack who had never been tested before and had assumed he was negative.
The soap has documented Zack struggling to come to terms with his diagnosis and the stigma associated with HIV.
Last week fans saw him confide in his sister Sharon and best pal Ben Mitchell after initially keeping his diagnosis a secret from his friends and family.
When the episode of Zack’s diagnosis was aired back in January, Chris Clenshaw, Executive Producer of the BBC soap, said: " 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."
For support, advice and information on living with HIV, call the Terrance Higgins Trust Direct on 0808 802 1221, 10am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, or email info@tht.org.uk.
