BBC to air never-before-seen interviews with early HIV sufferers for 50 years of Pride

The BBC is set to air previously unseen interviews with HIV sufferers from the early days of the AIDS epidemic in the 80s to commemorate 50 years of Pride.

BBC Two's three-part documentary series, AIDS: In Our Own Words will include the never-before-broadcast audio interviews that were recorded by a pioneering group of researchers in the 80s and have been archived at the British Library since then.

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They will be brought to life on screen by young actors who will lip sync to the interviews.

It will form part of the documentary telling the story of the British AIDS crisis to mark the 40th anniversary of the death of Terry Higgins, one of the first people to die from an AIDS-related illness in the UK.

Other programmes marking the milestone year for Pride include Amol Rajan's latest in-depth interview, which will be with legendary tennis player and social activist Billie Jean King.

BBC Two will air two music compilation shows, LGBTQ at the BBC featuring performances from George Michael, Divine, Queen, Janelle Monae, Boy George, Hazell Deane, Cristine and the Queens, The Gossip, MNEK, KD Lang and Lil Nas X, and the 2019 celebratory show Pride Hits at the BBC.

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Also airing on BBC Two is Pride Live at the Apollo featuring comedians Fern Brady, Desiree Burch, Alan Carr, Eddie Izzard, Joe Lycett, Zoe Lyons, Tom Allen, Stephen K Amos, Jen Brister, Julian Clary, Suzi Ruffell and Gina Yashere, and the 2014 BBC film Pride, about gay activists supporting the miners' strike.

Over on BBC Three, viewers can see the launch of series Big Proud Party Agency, where party agents plan epic celebrations for everything from wrestling comebacks to 18th birthdays, and other LGBTQ+ content will include Olly Alexander: Growing Up Gay, Lily: A Transgender Story, Cherry Valentine: Gypsy Queen and Proud and series one of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.

BBC Four's schedules include two new documentaries - Into My Name: Storyville about four friends sharing key moments in their gender transitions, and Gateways Grind, the first ever documentary about the Gateways Club, the most famous lesbian club in the world close to Chelsea's Kings Road.

The channel will also feature Jeanette Winterson’s screenplay adaptation of her novel Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, Mark Gatiss’ monologues Queers, Prejudice and Pride: The People's History Of LGBTQ Britain, Coming Oot! A Fabulous History of Gay Scotland, Time and Again and Queer as Art.

Pride month is in June and programmes will air on the BBC throughout the month.

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