After 40 years, the first Briton ever to have died from AIDS is finally known. Family and friends are now able to pay their respects to the Bournemouth-based ‘Patient Zero” guesthouse owner. His rapid decline in health was a mystery to medics.
ITV’s Tonight has created an exclusive documentary that solves the mystery of who was the first to die from AIDS in Britain.
This show airs at 7.30pm on Thursday, November 11, and reveals John Eaddie, who was first to succumb to AIDS in Britain.
London’s Brompton Hospital reported that ‘The Lancet,’ the first UK victim of AIDS, died in London. This was November 1981.
Since the death of Mr Eaddie, he was known as “The Brompton Patient” and “Patient Zero”. His identity has not been revealed publicly.
Paul Brand, UK editor has completed an investigation for ITV’s ‘Tonight’ programme. There he discovered details about Mr Eaddie, and solved the mystery that had shrouded his identity.
The exclusive documentary by TV’s Tonight has revealed the truth about the mysterious death of John Eaddie, the UK’s first person to be diagnosed with AIDS. It airs at 7.30 pm on Thursday, November 11. John Eaddie (pictured) is the person who died from AIDS in the UK.
This team traced Mr Eaddie’s friends and family from that time, as well as searched medical records for the missing story.
This means that his family and friends will finally be able to pay their respects decades later.
Friends recall him fondly as a fun and friendly person. They also revealed the shock at his rapid decline.
Tony Pinnegar recalls Mr Eaddie as the owner of a guesthouse. Tony Pinnegar is a close friend and remembers him being a charmer who helped to create the Bournemouth safe space for gay men to drink and meet in the late 70s/early 80s.
“John quickly declined and was taken to hospital in London,” Mr Pinnegar stated. I can still remember seeing him.
“We believed he would recover. But, I recall the doctor telling me, “He won’t survive.” He lay unconscious on the ground, his legs tied to machine. He was just lying there, unconscious and strapped up to machines. That was all.
Paul Brand, UK Editor (pictured), has completed an investigation to ITV’s “Tonight” programme. There he discovered details about Mr Eaddie’s identity and closed the mystery around his identity
This film finally gave Mr Eaddie, his friends and their peace that was lacking at the time.
Paul Wills was Paul Eaddie’s second friend. He said that he thought Mr Eaddie might have died from AIDS as a result of his symptoms.
His friend said: ‘I think it’s nice that we now know. It’s fitting John could be remembered because of the stigma.
The film finally gave Mr Eaddie (pictured), and his friends, some humanity.
UK Editor Mr Brand said that AIDS was destroying his generation in the 1980s.
“I had the good fortune to not experience that terror, but images of patient deaths and their painfully slow death would haunt me for many decades.
“AIDS stigmatization and shame meant many men who had been affected were deliberately ignored.
“But with the support and encouragement of John Eaddie’s family, John’s name will be remembered.”
ITV Tonight’s programme ‘Searching For Patient Zero: Britain’s AIDS Tragedy’ will be shown at 19.30 on Thursday, November 11th.
Paul Wills, Paul’s friend and colleague of Mr Eaddie said that he believed that he died from AIDS due to his symptoms. Pictured: In the new documentary, Brand examines photographs taken by Mr Eaddie