A pub waitress with a severe phobia of ketchup has opened up about how the red sauce can leave her in tears and a state of panic if she sees, smells or touches it. Charlie Everett, 18, has no idea where her phobia came from, but claims it's been a fear for as long as she can remember.
Just being near a bottle of the stuff can make Charlie "feel weird" and she often has to leave an area if someone is eating it. The teenager has admitted she's never actually tried the famous condiment but says she "never will" as the smell alone is enough to put her off.
Charlie works in a pub and struggles when customers request ketchup with their meals.
One incident left her in tears after she spilt a ramekin of ketchup on her shoes - resulting in her boss having to comfort her.
Charlie from Finchley, London, said: "I work in a pub and obviously people are going to want sauces with their food.
"We have this massive container of ketchup, and I was trying to squeeze some into a ramekin and it fell on my shoe.
"My boss had to comfort me as I was crying. Since I can remember I've been scared of it, I can't be near a bottle of it.
"Even if friends are having chips and there's ketchup near me, I can't touch or go near it.
"My mum's quite a big fan and if she leaves it on the plate before washing up it drives me crazy. It's pretty wild.
"I'm quite a picky eater but I don't know where it all stemmed from. If I'm in the supermarket I'll try and avoid the aisle with ketchup in.
"I've never tried it, but I know I never will - that day will never come. I smell it and I just can't, the thought of it now is making me feel weird."
Charlie took to social media to share a video about her phobia and was met with mixed reactions.
Some agreed with her completely, whilst others thought her phobia was "insane".
After seeing her video on TikTok, one of Charlie's friends took the opportunity to play a prank on her when they went out for some food.
Charlie said: "One of my mates saw the TikTok had gone viral and when we went out for food, he started putting the ketchup near me.
"I got really angry at him and started shouting at him in the restaurant."
Charlie's ketchup phobia is not her only fear, as she also suffers from emetophobia - a phobia of vomiting.
She also doesn't know where or when her fear of being sick started, but says she's been "scared" of it her whole life.
She said: "I seem to have a thing for weird phobias. I have a crippling phobia of people throwing up that I was thinking of starting therapy for.
"Again, my whole life I've just always been scared of it. Before December I hadn't thrown up for 10 years - so asking me what I would do if I get drunk and thrown up, I wouldn't know what to say.
"But being around people throwing up would make me have a breakdown. But in December I did get a bit too drunk and threw up and I have to say it wasn't as bad as I thought."
