Why is ‘Ellen Degeneres dead’ trending?
ELLEN fans were thrown into a frenzy when the star's "death" was trending on social media.
The Ellen DeGeneres show host was a victim of a hoax which left the world believing she had died - but she is alive and well.
Why is 'Ellen Degeneres dead' trending?
The world-famous comedian and TV host was the target of false claims on social media saying she had passed away.
User-generated posts announced the 'fake news' on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Hashtag RIPEllen took fans by a storm and sent them in full panic mode.
But the trending posts were part of a phenomenon of fake rumors about Ellen.
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What have Ellen Degeneres' fans said?
Ellen's fans were undoubtedly upset and confused by the announcement.
One user took to Twitter saying: "I just realised Ellen Degeneres isn't dead."
Another said: "Why did I think Ellen was dead?"
The rumors were quickly cleared up to much relief of her admiring fans.
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When did the hoax start?
The hoax seems to have begun in August 2023, after various posts from fake news websites and social media accounts began spreading.
But it was confirmed to be false when Ellen was spotted well and safe celebrating her wedding anniversary with Portia De Rossi.
Other fake claims came to the light when beloved DJ Stephen Boss, face on The Ellen DeGeneres Show tragically passed away.
On December 13, 2022, the 40-year-old reportedly died by suicide.
But fans were left confused after some posts wrongly announced that it was Ellen Degeneres who had died.
Rumors were immediately cleared up and the heartbreaking news about ‘tWitch’ confirmed by local media.