Katy Perry refused to hug Ed Sheeran because he was "really sweaty" when they met for the first time.

Katy Perry

Katy Perry

The British singer, 26, has admitted the 'Chained to the Rhythm' hitmaker didn't want to get too close to him after she came to watch one of his performances in Canada a few years ago because he was "sweating so bad."

Recalling their "embarrassing" first encounter after interrupting Katy's interview with BBC Radio 1, Ed revealed: "This is why I love Katy. First time I ever met Katy, I'd played a gig in Toronto and I was sweating so bad. And then I saw Katy on the side of the stage and I thought, 'Oh God, Katy Perry's here, this is really embarrassing. I'm really sweaty.' I walked up to her and was like, 'Hi,' and she like, 'I would hug you, but ew.' I was so sweaty."

Katy, who is currently dating actor Orlando Bloom, laughed off the incident and insisted she has much more respect for Ed now.

The 32-year-old star joked: "Now that you're Ed Sheeran it's like put your ball sack on me. But then he was like Ed Sheeran this guy with red hair. [His sweat's] got DNA in it!"