She plays LBGTQ ally Jill Baxter in Channel 4 drama It’s A Sin, which follows the reaction to the AIDS outbreak in the UK during the 1980s.
And actress Lydia West, 27, was pictured going for a run on her day off as she got in some exercise amid the coronavirus pandemic in London on Friday.
She wore an all-black ensemble, consisting of a padded coat and leggings with trainers as she worked up a sweat.
Doing her thing: It’s A Sin star Lydia West went for a jog in black workout gear in London on Friday as it’s revealed a record number of people have been tested for HIV since the show aired
Going for it: She wore an all-black ensemble, consisting of a padded coat and leggings with trainers as she worked up a sweat
Her outing came as the show was revealed to be Channel 4’s most binged new series ever as 6.5 MILLION stream Russell T Davies’ acclaimed drama.
And moreover, a record number of people have been tested for HIV since the show aired during HIV test week.
The series has already had 6.5 million views on All 4, making it the streaming services’ biggest ever instant box set, third biggest series to date and most binged new series ever.
Wow! The series has already had 6.5 million views on All 4, making it the streaming services’ biggest ever instant box set, third biggest series to date and most binged new series ever
A story to be told: From multi-BAFTA Award-winning writer Russell T Davies, It’s A Sin follows the story of the 1980s, the story of AIDS, and charts the joy and heartbreak of a group of friends across a decade in which everything changed
Important role: Lydia plays LBGTQ ally Jill Baxter in Channel 4 drama It’s A Sin, which follows the reaction to the AIDS outbreak in the UK during the 1980s
Episode one meanwhile has become All 4’s most popular drama launch on record.
From multi-BAFTA Award-winning writer Russell T Davies, It’s A Sin follows the story of the 1980s, the story of AIDS, and charts the joy and heartbreak of a group of friends across a decade in which everything changed.
Starring Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander alongside a cast of rising stars and celebrated favourites including Keeley Hawes, Stephen Fry and Neil Patrick Harris, It’s a Sin has been universally praised by fans.
Proud: Lydia also admitted she had ‘no idea’ the actor who plays her on-screen mother, Jill Nader, 58, was the woman her character was based on
Important role: Jill Nalder stars as the mother of Jill Baxter (played by Lydia, pictured) an aspiring actress who witnesses the impact of HIV and AIDS on the gay community in the ’80s
Davies, the writer and producer behind Queer As Folk, the 2005 revival of Doctor Who and Cucumber, loosely based It’s A Sin on his own experiences in the eighties.
He also spent hours in conversation with his childhood friend Jill Nalder, an actor, ally and activist who lived in London during the decade and is played by Lydia in the drama.
The real-life Jill also appears, playing Lydia’s mother in episodes four and five.
The Terence Higgins Trust tweeted news of the huge impact it has had on viewers.
They tweeted: The power of TV to change lives.
‘#ItsASin is Channel 4’s most binged watched new series and honours the heroes of the past — stopping our history being forgotten.
‘It’s also led to more people than ever taking action and getting tested during #HIVTestWeek. ‘What a legacy. LA!’
The Terrence Higgins Trust told MailOnline on Friday: ‘There has been a surge in HIV test following the It’s A Sin effect.
‘This is the biggest ever National HIV Testing Week (1-7 Feb) with tests being ordered at a faster rate than we’ve ever seen before.
‘On Monday we saw a x4 increase on a “usual day” or National HIV Testing Week to over 8,000.
As a result, the Public Health England has released 10,000 additional HIV self-sampling tests due to demand to make sure tests continue to be available.’
They continued: ‘We’re calling it the ‘It’s A Sin’ effect, with people re-engaged in important discussions around HIV.
‘Testing is crucial for seeing the end of new HIV cases by 2030 – which is the goal we’re working hard to achieve.’
Prior to 1996, HIV was a death sentence.
Then, ART (anti-retroviral therapy) was made, suppressing the virus, and meaning a person can live as long a life as anyone else, despite having HIV.
Drugs were also invented to lower an HIV-negative person’s risk of contracting the virus by 99%.
In recent years, research has shown that ART can suppress HIV to such an extent that it makes the virus untransmittable to sexual partners.
That has spurred a movement to downgrade the crime of infecting a person with HIV.
It leaves the victim on life-long, costly medication, but it does not mean certain death.
Looking good: Lydia’s running ensemble had neon yellow details throughout
Testing is on the rise! The Terrence Higgins Trust tweeted on Friday about how the show had an incredible legacy