Hugh Hefner is the latest celebrity to fall victim to a hoax about his death – but rest assured, the aging playboy is still alive and kicking.
Earlier this year rumours spread that Ace Ventura star Jim Carrey had died during a snowboarding accident.
In 2009 Australia's Channel Nine's Today show entertainment reporter
Richard Wilkins made an on-air blunder, announcing comedian Jeff
Goldblum had died while filming on set in New Zealand after reading it
on Twitter.
Today it was Hef's turn.
Rumours quickly circulated on social media sites yesterday suggesting
the Playboy founder had died of a heart attack.
"Rumors (sic) of my death are, as Mark Twain observed
in a similar situation, greatly exaggerated. I'm very much alive &
kicking," the ageing lothario posted.
To prove how alive he was, the 85-year-old gave special mention to his latest playmate girlfriend 24-year-old Shera Bechard.
"I'm lying in bed next to Shera with a big smile on my face, reading tweets about my unexpected demise.
"I'm happy to see how many people are pleased that I'm not dead. I'm pleased too," he added.
However, it was proably just a publicity stunt.
Hefner also revealed he was looking forward to seeing a TV special
detailing his marriage drama last month, which saw fiancee Crystal
Harris end their relationship just days before their planned wedding.
"The guys & I watched an early edit of 'Hef's Runaway Bride' tonight. The fans are going to love it," he added.
Playmate Harris, Hefner and his former long-term live-in girlfriend Holly Madison star in the TV special.
He then hinted that if the upcoming one-off episode about his recent
heartbreak was a hit he would consider another reality show.
"If "Hef's Runaway Bride" gets a nice rating, we'll probably do another reality series … "
Just hours ago Hef agreed to sit down with CNN host Piers Morgan to
give his first interview since Harris walked out of the Playboy
Mansion. Their one-on-one chat will air in the US on Thursday.