Oblivious gran offers man cash at petrol station, discovers it’s Keith Urban

A gran has revealed her shock after offering to pay for a man’s food at a petrol station – completely unaware it was actually Aussie singer Keith Urban.

Ruth Reed met Nicole Kidman’s husband as he stopped to buy some treats ahead of his concert in New Jersey, US, on Friday night – but was left red-faced when she failed to immediately recognise who he was.

The substitute teacher had previously made a resolution to help out a customer at the station once a week by paying for their snacks, and seeing a man struggling to find enough change, she stepped in.

Speaking to local news outlet CBS3 shortly after, she revealed she didn’t believe Keith when he first told her who he was, and even had to ask his security team to confirm it.

“I didn’t know it was Keith Urban,” she said in the video, shared on reporter Cleve Bryan’s Facebook page. “I didn’t think he had enough money to pay for his things so I said I would pay for it and briefly when he told me who he was, I didn’t believe it was him.”

Meanwhile, one of the sweet teacher’s students shared a screenshot of a message Reed had written on social media shortly after, describing the incident.

Read more: ‘Love in action’: Emotional Keith Urban says Nicole saved him from addiction

In it, she explained that she initially told the man he looked like Keith Urban, but when he told her it really was him, she didn’t believe him. Still sceptical, she then asked him where his wife Nicole was.

My favorite story of the day is how my 3rd grade teacher thought @KeithUrban was down on his luck and couldn’t pay for his wawa snacks so she bought them for him. What an angel. pic.twitter.com/mJccVOQWtp

— Olivia Rose Prouse (@liverdiverz) August 4, 2018

It prompted Keith to introduce the woman he was with as his sister, and still unsure – Reed then asked his security team to confirm it was really him. Realising her mistake at last, she joked: “It was then I realised what an idiot I was.”

Reed has since tweeted the star, writing: “@KeithUrban thank you for the photo at @Wawa. You were so gracious. I’m a celebrity with my FB friends now! Thanks!” 

Keith himself doesn’t appear to have seen Reed’s tweet yet, but took the opportunity this week to remember his father as he enjoyed another musical success. 

He wrote: “What hits me the most about Coming Home reaching number 1 is seeing Merle Haggard receive his first songwriting number 1 since 1987. Thank YOU to all the Haggard family!! I wish my Dad was here to see this.”

Have you had any funny encounters with a celebrity?