Magda Szubanski has become the victim of a cruel hoax, in which misinformation was spread online claiming she had recently died.
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A recent photo of Magda was shared to social media and captioned with some heartbreaking - and false - words.
'Thank you and goodbye Magda Szubanski. 1961 - 2026,' the fake tribute began.
'Grab your tissues! At 4 a.m. today, the family of beloved entertainer Magda Szubanski released a heartbreaking announcement: "She can finally rest in peace...".'
However, followers quickly noticed it was a cruel hoax as Magda was still alive, and took to the comments section to voice their dissatisfaction.
'If Magda had passed it would be all over the news,' one person wrote.
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Magda Szubanski has become the victim of a cruel hoax, in which misinformation was spread online claiming she had recently died
A recent photo of Magda was shared to social media and captioned with some heartbreaking - and false - words. 'Thank you and goodbye Magda Szubanski. 1961 - 2026,' the fake tribute began
'I wonder what the celebrities think when they see themselves pass away,' another person quipped.
'It would be on news before anywhere else. Not true,' a third chimed in.
This is the second time this year the beloved Australian comedian has been the victim of a heartless hoax.
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In January, Magda issued a warning to fans after online scammers used her likeness in the wake of her shock stage four cancer diagnosis.
The beloved comedian, who revealed in May she is battling an aggressive blood cancer called Mantle Cell Lymphoma, took to social media to expose the hoax.
Sharing an AI-generated image of a woman resembling her lying in a hospital bed, the Kath & Kim star made it clear the image was fake and being used to con well-meaning supporters out of money.
'Dear peeps. This lovely lady – whoever she is – is not me. I hope she's doing well,' Magda wrote.
She warned the image was being circulated online to raise funds supposedly for her cancer treatment, stressing she had absolutely no involvement in the appeal, as she urged fans not to donate.
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However, followers quickly noticed that it was a cruel hoax as Magda was still alive, and took to the comments section to voice their dissatisfaction
'Please don't think it's me and DEFINITELY DO NOT DONATE MONEY TO ANY MEDICAL FUNDRAISER THAT PURPORTS TO BE ME!! If you want the real me you can always find me here. Otherwise – it's a scam,' she cautioned.
In May, Magda announced on social media that she was battling a rare form of cancer known as Mantle Cell Lymphoma.
She appeared on camera with a shaved head after beginning her treatment to fight the disease.
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'Hello my lovelies. So, the head is shaved in anticipation of it all falling out in a couple of weeks because I have just been diagnosed with a very rare, aggressive, very serious lymphoma,' she began.
'It is one of the nasty ones, unfortunately. The good thing is I'm surrounded by beautiful friends, family and an incredible medical support team.
'Honestly, we have the best in the world here in Australia, particularly in Melbourne. I feel very fortunate. It's pretty confronting, full on. But new treatments keep coming down the pipeline all the time.'
Magda said she has started a treatment called the Nordic protocol, which treats MCL by shrinking the tumours with a combination of drugs administered in five phases.
This marks another chapter in Magda's long and public journey with health issues – having been the face of one of the country's former best known weight loss brands, Jenny Craig, and more recently, starring in an ABC TV show, Magda's Big National Health Check.
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Magda has previously spoken about living with osteoarthritis, autoimmune arthritis, sleep apnoea, and migraines.
In addition to her physical health, the comedian has been a vocal advocate for mental health awareness, candidly sharing her experiences with anxiety.
In a powerful essay for the ABC in 2022, Magda opened up about her lifelong struggle with weight and the harmful impact dieting had on her.

