Cherylee Houston has told fans she was left “stunned” after being verbally abused in public.
The actress, who plays Izzy Armstrong in Coronation Street, shared her shock with her 38,500 Twitter followers when the upsetting incident happened on Wednesday (11 July).
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She explained: “Was just crossing the road and a car beeped and me and a man shouted “Spastic” at me. Wow.”
Fans were appalled and infuriated on her behalf, with one raging: “What the actual? Did you get the number plate?? Report!!!”
Another fumed: “That is wrong with people these days no respect for others.”
Cherylee went on to admit she hadn’t thought to get the number plate or report the incident as a hate crime as she was “too stunned”.
Was just crossing the road and a car beeped and me and a man shouted “Spastic” at me. Wow.
— Cherylee Houston (@cheryleehouston) July 11, 2018
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A sympathetic friend rallied around Cherylee, replying: “Something very wrong with that man darling. How horrible it must be to be him.”
Co-star Jane Danson, who plays Leanne Battersby, was one of the first to support the fellow actress, saying: “Aw chez that’s horrible. Hope you’re ok love xx.”
Georgia Taylor, aka Toyah Battersby, added: “Oh darling this is horrendous. I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I hope you’re okay, lovely one xxx.”
Straight-talking Sally Ann Matthews, who portrays Jenny Connor, wrote: “Jeez, Neanderthals x.”
Other friends called it “disgusting”, “ignorant” and “sad”.
Cherylee also said it was “awful” that “disability hate crime is on the up”, and added: “Astounding that such hatred exists.”
https://twitter.com/RealJaneDanson/status/1017281248555945984
Oh darling this is horrendous. I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I hope you’re okay, lovely one xxx
— Georgia Taylor (@RealGeorgiaT) July 11, 2018
Jeez, Neanderthals x
— Sally Ann Matthews (@SallyAnMatthews) July 11, 2018
At 23, Cherylee was diagnosed with the rare connective tissue disorder, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Type III hyper mobility type, and has used a wheelchair ever since.
The Morecambe-born star is the official EDS UK patron.
She has portrayed Izzy since 2010, and has also starred in Emmerdale, Doctors and I’m With Stupid.
Cherylee also runs her own theatre company.
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