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Wales Online

Milly Vincent

Student who has met over 500 celebrities says unusual hobby helped her out of depression and anxiety

Olly Murs Depression Anxiety Gareth Southgate

A student’s unusual hobby of meeting celebrities says it has helped her overcome depression and anxiety. The 21-year-old has met over 500 celebrities over the last three years.

Emily Severn, a student in Derby, said she first realised that meeting celebrities made her feel more confident in October 2019, when she attended an event featuring Olly Murs, Meghan Trainer and will.i.am. She ended up meeting all three and came out of her shell as she interacted with the celebs.

After this Emily began taking the hobby more seriously and set out to meet famous faces whenever she could. She’s since met 500 big names - including sports personalities like Gareth Southgate, TV stars such as Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood, and even soap stars and popular YouTubers.

Emily says her extroverted hobby has helped her overcome depression and anxiety - which she has managed with on and off Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. She says meeting celebrities is “exhilarating” and she feels as if they’re not “judging” her.

The student said: “Sometimes it’s people who you think ‘oh, they’re a celebrity, I’ll go and meet them’ - and sometimes they’re celebs you’ve wanted to meet for a while. It’s a completely different buzz you get from it, it makes you a lot happier and it brought me out of a bit of a depression.

“When I went on uni nights out, I was the quietest one there – but after a few months of meeting celebrities, I was talking to people and making friends with people and I felt more confident.”

Emily, who was badly bullied at school and used to feel like she was the "quiet one" on nights out at university, has gained confidence and is able to talk to other people more easily since taking up the hobby. She met her favourite singer, Olly Murs, in 2019 which was a turning point for Emily.

She began looking for opportunities to meet more celebrities, including waiting at the Coronation Street studios and meeting cast members. Emily also sought out opportunities to meet singers, Youtubers, and TV presenters and personalities.

By keeping an eye on upcoming shows at theatres as well as gigs in her area, Emily kept up-to-date with any events where she knew there were going to be big names attending.

She quickly racked up hundreds of celeb meet and greets and says the more celebs she interacts with the more confident she becomes. Now even her family can see the change in her attitude.

Emily said: “Back in school I was bullied quite a lot so it caused me to go through depression and worsened the social anxiety I already had. I was too anxious to speak to anybody and had depression as well, it felt like a very lonely experience.

“Growing up I was a big fan of Olly Murs so it’s always the big dream of every fan to meet their favourite celebrity. went to watch him in Manchester and managed to meet Olly Murs, will.i.am, and Meghan Trainer.

“It gave me a bit of a buzz, you feel like they’re not judging you. I started going to wait at the Coronation Street studios and met a lot of the cast members.

“Over a few months period, I noticed I was coming out of my shell more and talking to more people – I didn’t used to talk or express myself as much. When I know I’m going to meet someone you feel so excited, if there's multiple ones at an event then you’ll have a list compiled of who you’re going to meet that day.

“The excitement builds as the day goes on. When you meet them, you’re so exhilarated and feel a buzz inside and just really happy.

Emily Severn, 21, a student in Derby, who enjoys meeting celebrities as a hobby (SWNS)

“When you’ve got the pictures it’s an exciting feeling ringing up your friends and family who are interested in the hobby to say ‘oh I’ve met so and so today'. My family are really supportive of it so it makes me a lot happier.

“I think I have probably met about 500 since 2019. I became more serious about it in October 2019 so I’m coming up to the three-year mark.”