'I told Donald Trump to f**k off' – Emma Thompson reveals bizarre encounter with US president

Long before Donald Trump began his career in politics and took the Oval Office, he failed to make it into the good books of British actress Emma Thompson. Recalling one bizarre incident when the Love Actually star was asked out on a date by the now-US president, Thompson revealed that she had a pretty straightforward answer.

Recalling the incident from 20 years ago, Thompson said she thought it was a prank call in the first instance, and hence told the businessman to "f**k off". The 58-year-old actress went on to detail her experience on an upcoming episode of The Graham Norton Show, explaining that she ultimately never got back to Trump about the date.

"He asked me out once," said Thompson to the talk show host. "I could have changed the course of history! I was in my trailer and the phone rang – no one had every rung it nor had I ever used it. I had assumed it didn't work."

"It was Donald Trump on the other end – I thought someone was having a laugh so told him to f**k off," she continued, "He said, 'Come and stay in one of my apartments and maybe we could have dinner.' I didn't know what to say."

Explaining that she was taken aback by the unexpected phone call, the Harry Potter actress expressed regret on missing out on the opportunity to ruffle "his hair".

"I was absolutely astounded because how did he get the number that even I didn't have? I said I would get back to him but I never did," she said adding, "In so many ways I wish I had because I could have ruffled his hair and we would then all have known the truth! And maybe he wouldn't have been president."

Thompson was possibly referring to the long-standing rumours about Trump's hair transplant or him wearing a toupee. The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon had also seized the opportunity to muss Trump's hair, when the Republican had made an appearance.

The Graham Norton Show episode that is due to air on Friday (27 October) will also have Netflix star Claire Foy, American actor Adam Sandler and supermodel Cara Delevingne joining Thompson in the conversation.