I read of the death of journalist Annette Witheridge, aged 66, with very mixed emotions. Much has been written about her distinguished Fleet Street career, particularly her role in securing the now infamous photograph of Prince Andrew & Jeffrey Epstein in Central Park. But my memories of Annette Witheridge are rather different. In 1987, she published a front-page story falsely claiming that I was dying of AIDS, then widely & cruelly described in the press as the “killer disease” or the “gay plague”. It was untrue. I maintain that she knew it was untrue, yet no correction followed. The consequences of such reporting were devastating, not only for me but for my family including my mother and my brother. At a time when ignorance, fear & prejudice surrounding AIDS were rife, such allegations carried an especially vicious stigma. In 1988, I had the opportunity to confront Annette Witheridge face to face on Channel 4’s live discussion programme After Dark. I took the original newspaper cutting from my pocket & challenged her directly about the story, the absence of verification & the damage it had caused. It was an extraordinary confrontation, broadcast live and unedited. Nearly four decades later, I have not forgotten it. I do not dispute that she enjoyed considerable professional success, nor do I begrudge those who knew & loved her their warm memories. But journalism must be judged not just by the scoops it produces or the powerful people it exposes. It must also be judged by its accuracy, integrity & the consequences for those whose lives become its subject. As tributes are paid to her career, I believe it is right that this chapter of her journalistic history should not be forgotten. Her death is a sadness for her family & friends, to whom I extend my condolences. But death does not erase history, nor should it prevent an honest examination of the conduct of those whose work had such profound consequences for others. The truth matters, as it did in 1987 & as it matters just as much today.