Stephen Fry: HIV and Me UK TV documentary starts tonight

Following on from his much acclaimed documentary, The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive, openly gay actor, writer, comedian and television personality Stephen Fry embarks on yet another deeply personal journey: HIV.

Like the manic depressive documentary, HIV is another medical issue close to Fry’s heart. In Stephen Fry: HIV and Me, the comedian delves into the complex world of HIV and, in his usual critical but compassionate manner, examines society’s understanding of the virus. And he discovers that, despite the availability of effective medication, infections are still rising and that a third of those infected don't even know they are positive.

In the early Eighties, Fry watched as many of his closest friends became infected and subsequently died from the disease. Back then, little was known about AIDS. In the UK, we were warned of its dangers via the "Don't Die of Ignorance" campaign. However, some 20 years on, we’re still losing the fight.

Some 25 million people worldwide are estimated to have died from AIDS-related illnesses. And infections are rising, particularly amongst the young, black African communities, and heterosexuals. In fact, the number of new infections amongst straight people now outweighs those in the gay community.

To illustrate the changing face of the virus, Fry meets people we certainly wouldn't expect to be affected, including a positive grandmother and a 16-year-old schoolgirl who was born with the virus. In Doncaster, once known as the "HIV capital of the North", Fry challenges young people about their attitudes toward promiscuity and unsafe sex.

HIV is the fastest growing serious health condition in the UK. There are now 70,000 people living with HIV and up to a third of them are unaware they have the virus. The Terrence Higgins Trust estimates that at least 400,000 people could have HIV by 2032 if current trends continue.

In this two-part documentary, which is part of the BBC's two-month HIV awareness campaign, Fry himself takes an HIV test, and he gets to meet his first love from Cambridge, who is now HIV positive. (It's worth noting that Fry starred in Kenneth Branagh's 1992 ensemble dramedy Peter's Friends, in which a group of chums from the 80s are reunited to learn that one has AIDS.)

The documentary also features interviews with other celebrities, including George Michael (whose comments were notably edited upon the artist's request), Erasure's Andy Bell and Ana Matronic of Scissor Sisters fame.

Stephen Fry: HIV and Me airs tonight, October 2, on BBC2 at 9pm. For preview clips, check out the BBC homepage.