Emmerdale actress Michelle Hardwick has revealed she and her wife have had to call the police after receiving death threats online.
Michelle, 46, who plays vet Vanessa Woodfield in the show, married Emmerdale producer Kate Brooks, 39, in 2019 at Graceland, the home of Rock legend Elvis.
After successful IVF treatment, the pair welcomed their son Teddy in 2020.
While loved ones and fans have celebrated their happiness, the couple have also been subjected to homophobic abuse online.
Speaking to OK!, Michelle said: "There have been certain times when police have had to be called because there have been death threats."
She went on: "When they’re mentioning your son’s name and you’re just going ‘Really? I’m just in a soap you know – we’re not doing any harm to anybody'."
“The root of it all is always because I’m gay, I’m a gay woman. And it’s like, ‘Lesbians shouldn’t be on this Earth, just burn in hell and die.'"
Michelle came out in 2013 and has been abused over her sexuality since.
In August, Michelle shared a vile homophobic message she received from a troll, as she dared them to reveal their true identity.
The user fired a number of homophobic slurs at Michelle calling her a 'd**e' and a 'l**bo brat.'
The soap star wrote alongside the abuse 'Come on, show us who you really are... I dare you!"
Kate also weighed in on the furore as she replied to Michelle's tweet: "Hi ‘Michael’, the original Prisoner Cell Block H called from 1985 - they’d really like their insults back. Thanks a mill."
Hours later Michelle returned to social media to thank fans for their kindness.
"Overwhelmed by all your beautiful supportive messages," she wrote.
"I honestly don't take it to heart, I just like to highlight it every so often.
"Thank you to every single person who took the time to message me whether I know you personally or not. I promise I'll read them all."
In the same interview the performer revealed the pair would love to have another baby and she would like to meet Teddy's biological dad one day, to thank him for what he did.
Michelle has been married once before to Rosie Nicholl, who she wed in 2015, but then divorced in 2017.
Sparks started flying for the Emmerdale star when she crossed paths with TV executive Kate on the soap set.
The television boss landed her huge gig as series producer when the couple met and begun on a blossoming romance.
The lovebirds public with their relationship on National Coming Out Day in October 2018.
Their whirlwind romance took off as the couple got engaged within months of dating.
Michelle popped the question to Kate when she hired out a cinema and she enlisted the help of their dog Fred.
