Emmerdale star Charlie Hardwick gave a fellow Newcastle United supporter a piece of her mind after suffering prejudice
The 53-year-old actress was in the stands at St James’ Park when the Magpies fan recoiled and told her not to touch him after mistaking her for having her character’s much misunderstood disease.
Charlie Hardwick: “I had a conversation with one of the fellas I see at football.
“I am a season-ticket holder at Newcastle so you get to know the people around you.
"I was going down the steps and I said, ‘How are you doing?’ and he went, ‘Woah, woah don’t touch us. I might catch it!’
“I gave him a proper talking to. I said, ‘You don’t get HIV from touching somebody - you get it from having unprotected sex and that’s not going to happen is it kiddo?’ and he meekly said no.
“That is the kind of ignorance we want to blast a bit. I hope there isn’t a backlash from fans.
“I hope they will see it could happen to anybody.”