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Warning spoiler

Friday 8 August
Malachy Fisher (Glen Wallace)

HOLLYOAKS player Malachy is in for a shock in soon when the results of a blood test he takes reveal he is HIV positive.

Malachy has recently embarked on a relationship with sex siren, Mercedes (Jennifer Metcalfe), and seems to be falling in love for the first time. But his life is turned upside down when he goes to give blood and the results reveal his diagnosis.

As he faces a future with HIV, Malachy refuses to deal with the problem and rather than share the news with Mercedes, he goes missing. A scorned Mercedes then ends up sleeping with Malachy's brother, Kris (Gerard McCarthy) in an act of revenge and Malachy's silence puts their lives in danger too.

Glen Wallace, who plays Malachy, comments: "When you consider how many people are affected by HIV and AIDS, it makes you realise that whilst there have been huge medical breakthroughs in treatment, we still need to keep education and information in the spotlight. We have a fantastic opportunity to do this with Malachy's storyline as it's a relevant and very much a real life issue."

Recent reports suggest that more people are infected with HIV than was previously thought. For Malachy, he's played the field and always thought he was invincible to STDs, but his past comes back to haunt him in a big way in the episode to be screened on September 8th 2008 (6.30pm on Channel 4) when he learns of his diagnosis.