Ant Babajee

Unashamedly undetectable: Deutschsprecher, ENFP, Eurovision fan, ex-BBC journo, university marketer by day, HIV campaigner and public health master’s student by night; my interests include Doctor Who, broadcast and digital media, graphic design, and theatre and visual arts

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Baring all about HIV and U=U

Wednesday 2 January 2019 marks the 12th anniversary of my HIV diagnosis. In this interview to accompany the latest HIV Stripped Bare photo shoot, I reflect on what’s changed — and what hasn’t — in my first dozen years living with the virus.

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The Inheritance is this generation’s Angels in America

I was blown away by the world premiere of Matthew Lopez’s two-part play about what it means to be a gay man living in 2018

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I have just found out I am HIV positive: what do I do now?

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World Aids Day is a time for reflection. This 1 December will be my 10th living with HIV, a virus that without treatment can damage the immune system and lead to Aids. As we near the end of the fourth decade of the HIV epidemic, how far have we moved on?

World Aids Day: fear, community and hope

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Visibility. If I had to sum up why I walk in Pride in just one word, visibility would be the one. I am so looking forward to chanting that message: Can’t Pass It On!

Why I walk with Pride

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World Aids Day 2014

I will be wearing my red ribbon with pride this World Aids Day. I now feel no shame about being HIV-positive, but I do know that my journey with this little passenger of mine has taught me a lot. I have learnt to treasure my relationships with the people I love. I have also learnt to live for today and not next year, because if today isn’t good enough, next year certainly won’t be.

I remember with sadness the brilliant people we have lost - lives cut short in their prime. I stand in solidarity with the people living with HIV today - nearly 110,000 of them in the UK alone.

Regardless of whether you are HIV-negative or HIV-positive, we all have the power to end this: to end the suffering of people who do not have access to antiretrovirals; to end the fear around testing that means more people become infected; and to end the stigma around living with the virus that makes it so hard to talk about it.

This World Aids Day I am proud to be speaking at south-west England’s first conference for people living with HIV. As I was diagnosed here in Somerset back in 2007, it feels like my journey has come full circle in many ways. I hope by talking about my life over the past eight years I can help to encourage other people to come out of the shadows and talk about HIV.

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Becoming an HIV activist

My presentation for the myHIV Activism and Involvement workshop at Terrence Higgins Trust's Gloucester office on Saturday 1 March 2014

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Live interview about living with HIV with Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio 2 on Friday 21 February 2014

Surprisingly, I wasn't nervous about doing this interview, even though it was the most high-profile thing I've done to date. Maybe it's because it happened so quickly - one minute I was talking to their researcher on the way to work and the next moment I was sitting in a studio in central London talking live to the nation. It was a real privilege to be asked to do it.

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Volunteering with Terrence Higgins Trust at the Gay Star News Beach Party

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☆ I think someone realised I'm a bit of a fanboy! #doctorwho

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Sparkly #doctorwho gingerbread

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Live interview about National HIV Testing Week for Gaydio on Wednesday 27 November 2013; find an HIV test locally: startswithme.org.uk

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The Time of the Doctor

If, like me, you're still on cloud nine after the amazingness of Saturday's Doctor Who 50th anniversary special, you've not had to wait long for more details of the next episode, which will see Matt Smith's Eleven Doctor regenerate into Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor.

We were teased with a short trail of the Christmas special at the end of The Day of the Doctor, and now BBC One has revealed the title - The Time of the Doctor - and the first promo pic.

The bell tolls on Christmas Day. Time for a regeneration!

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23 November 2013: The Day of the Doctor is here, the 50th birthday of Doctor Who.

What an amazing day it's going to be!

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The Night of the Doctor

With nine days to go until Doctor Who's 50th anniversary, the BBC has released a prequel to The Day of the Doctor.

Entitled The Night of the Doctor, the mini episode contains two big surprises.

I'm watching this in Starbucks and I must admit I did get some funny looks when I squealed with delight!