The HIV Podcast

In this episode of African Voices, Sarah and Jess travel to Botswana to explore the remarkable legacy of former President Festus Mogae, whose leadership helped shape the country's response to HIV and left a lasting impact far beyond its borders. Sound credit: Audio excerpt from UNAIDS' tribute to former President Festus Mogae, published 11 May 2026. Tribute to Former Botswana President Fes...

In the final part of our three-parter, Sarah and Jess explore the role of the Catholic Church and the Irish government during the HIV epidemic in Ireland. At a time when fear, stigma and misinformation were rife, how did religious influence, political decisions and attitudes towards sex and sexuality shape Ireland’s response to HIV? Join us as we uncover what happens when politics, religion and pu...

In the second of our three-parter, Sarah and Jess are heading behind the walls of Dublin’s Mountjoy Prison to explore what happened when the HIV epidemic reached Ireland’s prison system. From fear and stigma to the challenges of preventing HIV in prison, we uncover a difficult chapter of Ireland’s HIV history and ask what happens when a public health crisis meets a prison system struggling to resp...

In the first of this three-parter, Sarah and Jess are heading back to 1980s Ireland to explore the early days of HIV and the brilliant work of Gay Health Action (GHA). At a time when fear, stigma and misinformation were everywhere, GHA stepped up, challenged attitudes and helped get vital information out to the people who needed it. Join us as we uncover the stories, the activism and the people wh...

It’s another African Voices episode and this month Sarah and Jess are heading to Zimbabwe, where we’re shining a spotlight on the brilliant work of Zvandiri. Meaning “As I am” , Zvandiri is all about young people living with HIV supporting other young people living with HIV. We look at where it all began, how peer support is changing lives, and hear some of the voices and music behind their work....

Why did HIV become so closely associated with gay men? In this episode, we go back to the years before HIV appeared to explore attitudes towards sex, sexuality and gay men, and how stigma, morality and the media shaped the way the emerging epidemic was understood. Ask our Sex Expert Anything! The HIV Podcast - Ask Us Anything: Sex, Dating & HIV Donate: The HIV Podcast: Together, We're Chan...

Why is HIV still so often linked to the gay community? In this episode Sarah and Jess explore sexual networks, the connections between people through sexual relationships and how they can help us understand patterns of HIV transmission. Ask our Sex Expert Anything! The HIV Podcast - Ask Us Anything: Sex, Dating & HIV Donate: The HIV Podcast: Together, We're Changing the Conversation Sources Se...

Russell T Davies, this one’s for you. From Queer as Folk and It’s a Sin, all the way back to Children’s Ward in 1993, Russell T Davies has been telling stories about HIV, queer lives, stigma, sex, shame and joy for decades. So obviously, Sarah and Jess decided it was about time we dedicated an episode to him! Plus, with his new memoir The Queerest of Folk: A Life in Television on the way, the timi...

In this episode of African Voices, Sarah and Jess head to Zambia! We explore the impact of US funding cuts on Zambia’s HIV response and the controversy around health aid being used as political leverage. But we also discover UkaniManje, an incredible Zambian organisation using music to educate, challenge HIV stigma and reach young people with accurate information. From global politics to grassroot...

Part 2 of the wonderful Ita O’Brien returning to The HIV Podcast and we’re talking all things intimacy. Ita chats with Sarah and Jess about her brilliant book Intimacy, and what her years spent choreographing some of the most memorable intimate moments on screen have taught her about sex, desire, consent, connection and our relationships with our own bodies and we also get into what all of this me...

She’s baaaaaack! The wonderful Ita O’Brien returns to The HIV Podcast and this time we’re talking all things intimacy. Ita chats with Sarah and Jess about her brilliant book Intimacy, and what her years spent choreographing some of the most memorable intimate moments on screen have taught her about sex, desire, consent, connection and our relationships with our own bodies and we also get into what...

This week, is part 2 of our conversation with the incredible Ita O'Brien, founder of the Intimacy On Set company and author of the groundbreaking Intimacy On Set Guidelines. In the second of this special two-part conversation, we continue our dive into It's A Sin and explore how some of the series' most intimate and emotionally powerful scenes were carefully choreographed and how this intimacy coo...

We may not have been sipping caipirinhas on Copacabana Beach, but that didn't stop us from virtually heading to Rio de Janeiro for the International AIDS Conference 2026! In this episode, Sarah and Jess have picked out the biggest news, the most exciting research and the stories that really caught our attention. From potential new HIV prevention options and treatment updates to ageing with HIV and...

This week, Sarah and Jess are thrilled to welcome the incredible Ita O'Brien, founder of the Intimacy On Set company and author of the groundbreaking Intimacy On Set Guidelines. In the first of this special two-part conversation, we dive into It's A Sin and explore how some of the series' most intimate and emotionally powerful scenes were carefully choreographed. Ita shares the thinking behind int...

This week Sarah and Jess travel to Malawi for the latest episode of African Voices, exploring the country's response to HIV and the vital work of the National Association of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Malawi (NAPHAM). As always with African Voices, this episode looks beyond the headlines to celebrate resilience and the people creating real change in their communities. Sources Home - napham...

In the third and final episode of our Russia series, Sarah and Jess explore how war is affecting people living with HIV, with a particular focus on reports of the military recruitment of people living with HIV and hepatitis. Support The HIV Podcast Sources HIV/AIDS in Russia - Wikipedia Germ warfare. The spread of chronic diseases in the Russian army is rapidly becoming an epidemic threatening soc...

This week, Sarah and Jess continue their three-part journey through Russia's HIV story. In episode two, they examine the scale of the epidemic, explore HIV prevalence across the country and the challenges faced by those living with HIV in Russia. Support The HIV Podcast Sources HIV/AIDS in Russia - Wikipedia Germ warfare. The spread of chronic diseases in the Russian army is rapidly becoming an ep...

This week Sarah and Jess begin a three-part journey through Russia's HIV story. We travel back to the community where the country's first major HIV outbreak unfolded, exploring the events that changed countless lives and the lasting impact still felt today. TW: This episode contains discussion of suicide and HIV-related stigma, which some listeners may find distressing Support The HIV Podcast Sour...

This week Sarah and Jess head to Mozambique for the latest episode of African Voices, exploring the country's response to HIV stigma and the inspiring work of local LGBTQ+ activists using creativity and visibility to encourage HIV testing and challenge discrimination. As always with African Voices, this episode looks beyond the headlines to celebrate resilience and the people creating real change...

Needle exchanges. A public health success story? A political battleground? Or a bit of both. This week Sarah and Jess are travelling back to the 1980s to explore how a radical idea born during the HIV crisis helped save thousands of lives and shaped the UK's approach to harm reduction. Sources history of needle sharing and the development of needle and syringe programmes Syringe-exchange-has-it-wo...

How did Edinburgh end up being dubbed the "HIV capital of Europe"? In this episode, Sarah and Jess head back to the 1980s to uncover the story behind one of the most surprising chapters in HIV history. We explore how one city found itself at the centre of the epidemic, and helped change the response to HIV forever. Sources 'Patients used to come here to die, now they come to live' - BBC News How E...

This week, the tables have turned! Long-time listener and friend of the podcast Charlotte Leach has taken over hosting duties and put Sarah and Jess firmly in the hot seat, testing their podcast knowledge, revisiting some memorable moments, and chatting all things HIV. A huge thank you to Charlotte for all the thought, planning and preparation that went into the 'Charlotte Leach Takeover'. Sources...

This week Sarah and Jess head to Uganda for the latest episode of African Voices! We hear about the realities of HIV in Uganda, the progress being made, and the challenges that still remain, while spotlighting the incredible work of the Uganda Village Project, a grassroots organisation helping improve access to healthcare, HIV education, testing and support within rural communities. As always with...

This week Sarah and Jess look at how pop culture shapes the way we see HIV and the brilliant campaign from Casey House that recreated a “lost episode” of Friends to help tackle stigma....because sometimes the fastest way to expose stigma, is to place it right in the middle of shows people thought they knew by heart. Sources People living with HIV in Ireland write to their younger selves in heartwa...

This week Sarah Jess talk about a new scientific discovery in the HIV work and what discoveries like this could mean for the future of HIV treatment, cure research, and why every new breakthrough helps us understand the virus just a little bit better. Science is science-ing… and honestly, it’s pretty exciting!  Sources - Queen Mary University of London U=U Quilt – Positive East Mark - PLHIV D...