Michelle Hardwick called the police after receiving death threats on social media

Emmerdale actress Michelle Hardwick once called the police after receiving death threats on social media.

The star, who plays Vanessa Woodfield in the ITV soap, spoke about the incident, which happened a couple of years ago, at the free online festival Silver Pride, which "celebrates older LGBTQ+ people".

Hardwick, who has a family with her wife Kate Brooks, was clear to state that the trolling messages never targeted her sexuality.

"(They) just wanted me to die and things like that," Hardwick said. "They didn't mention because I was gay or anything like that. But the police were fantastic."

Discussing the vitriolic comments and online interactions in general, the 45-year-old noted: "It's the good and the bad, because there's some not-very-nice people on social media, as we all know. But that's just part of it.

"People could say: 'Well, come off social media'. But then I think: 'Well, there's only one or two people who are like that, and then there's quite a lot of others who are very, very lovely'. So why should I?"

She thinks trolls are "bored" rather than malicious, but the lack of certainty about those behind nasty words can always be problematic.

"I always think to myself, it could be your bank manager, it could be the person who works at your local florist. It's probably not, but it could be. That is the thing, nobody knows," she said.