Graham Norton
Graham Norton helps to promote National HIV testing week Twitter

BBC chat show host Graham Norton and Coronation Street's Charlie Condou have joined the growing list of celebrities lending their support for National HIV Testing Week.

The openly-gay stars used social media to raise awareness for the campaign, which is taking place from 22-30 November, in the run up to World Aids Day on 1 December.

Norton shared a snap of him holding the blue campaign t-shirt on Twitter along with the caption: "This message never gets old. Get tested and support @startswith_me today."

Condou, who plays Marcus Dent in the ITV soap, also encouraged his 154,000 Twitter followers to get tested by sporting the t-shirt and a big grin. He also came armed with some interesting stats.

"People diagnosed with HIV late on average die 10 years early. #ImTesting this #HIVTestWeek 22-30 November. Are you??"

There are over 100,000 people in the UK living with HIV and one in eight gay and bisexual men in London are HIV positive. Around a quarter of sufferers are unaware they have it.

The campaign is hoping to reduce the high levels of transmission and increase the number of early diagnoses by encouraging more people to undergo testing .

"We can't overstate the importance of testing for HIV to ensure an early diagnosis," Dr Valerie Delpech, head of Public Health England's national HIV surveillance, said.

"People diagnosed promptly with HIV infection can expect to live long and healthy lives. People who remain unaware of their infection are also at risk of transmitting HIV to others."

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