interview
from May 2008

One of the country's most famous hairdressers and makeup artists, nephew to Sharon and Ozzy, and star of the longest-running TV reality show, Terry Longden joins Paul Hunt on the Shout! sofa for a chat…

It seems a long time since Channel 4’s The Salon - how did you get into it?

Well, I saw the first series and as I had my own salon I thought, I could do that! I was eventually chosen from thousands of applicants and stayed on the show for 25 weeks, which incidentally became the longest continually running reality TV show ever.

Tell us about your childhood

I was born in Birmingham and was an only child; my mother was a single parent. I loved art in school and soon developed an eye for the dramatic.

So you were a teen rebel in the eighties then?

Well I certainly did embrace the punk/new romantic period. I worked at a salon and had a ball really, out most nights with some hard hangovers - thankfully it was a period of creativity and wild colours so I got away with some serious weird makeovers. Styles were changing each week so clients always came back to be restyled.

Creativity and stardom does run in the family though?

Yes, in the mid 80s I was taken on as hair and make-up artist for my uncle, Ozzy Osbourne. Shortly after this I opened my own salon just outside Birmingham.

So hairdressing was your first job then?

No, I actually started work making exhaust pipes in a factory, on a bending press of all things. Needless to say that did not last long. We got paid each week on a Thursday and the management could not understand why a lot of the workforce never turned up on a Friday!

Do you remember your ‘coming out’?

Funnily enough it was to Ozzy and Sharon whilst I was on tour with them back in 1886. It was a different time back in the 80s but everyone was fine about it, Sharon and Ozzy said they already knew anyway, which put a damper on my big moment somewhat!! But they were in an industry surrounded by gay men so it was hardly a shock or surprise.

You continued to develop you career in hair and makeup: what are some of your achievements?

Well, professionally I was awarded highest qualifications in hairdressing, ‘The L’Oreal Colour Specialist Degree’ - that was a nice accolade and I suppose the TV and film work I have done over the years.

That list is quite extensive, ITV’s Love on a Saturday Night hosted by Davina McCall, makeover stylist on The Sharon Osbourne Show and the fourth series of The Osbournes and your Irish and UK tour for the hair company Matrix - an impressive CV!

I have really enjoyed all of what I have done and met some really nice people along the way, I particularly enjoyed writing my own weekly ‘male grooming column’ in The Daily Express.

Last year was quite a difficult year and you hit the headlines for a very different reason

Yes, it was a really important time for me, I publicly disclosed my HIV status in a two-page spread for Now magazine. I adopted and maintain a very positive attitude in publicly speaking against the stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS.

Nonetheless, it must be a real emotional rollercoaster not only receiving the diagnosis but having to eventually do so in such a public way?

Well, I actually was diagnosed eight years ago. But I was never depressed and really accepted it head-on. In many ways it made me look at life and do things I had only dreamed of. I really think that had I not been diagnosed I would have never applied for The Salon. For me it was something like, ‘I can grab life by the balls and give it a really good squeeze!’

It must have been difficult in the early stages though

Well, it is not something I would have wanted but if you are diagnosed early, get ahead of it and get to grips with the medication and do not take the piss with your health. For me it was something that was batted towards me, I simply got hold of it and dealt with it.

You have, in typical Terry fashion, used your status in a (no pun intended) positive way..

I do have a positive attitude and publicly speaking against the stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS is something I can do. I have recently become Ambassador for the Northern Irish based charity, AIDS2000. I enjoy fundraising and because of my HIV status I’m in a position to do as much as I can.

What’s on your radar for 2008?

Well, I’m hosting another series of my radio show with Rowetta on Gaydio. I have some work lined up for Living TV and SKY UK Style and will continue with both my charity work and of course my teaching work for Matrix. It means a lot of travelling but I enjoy that too.