Tammy Hembrows Follower Count Controversy Sparks Outrage

got some social media users offside this week after claiming that she has 20 million social media followers. 

The influencer appeared in a trailer for Channel Nine's new show Shark!, introducing herself to the audience ahead of her participation in the reality series. 

The 32-year-old proudly announces in the clip, which was shared on Instagram: 'I am best known for my social media presence. I have about 20 million followers online.' 

Tammy currently has 16.3 million followers on Instagram, along with 2.3 million on , bringing the total to 18.6 million. 

Several people pointed out the disparity in the comments section under the trailer.  

'16.3 million,' wrote one person, , with another adding, '16 million.'

'I have 20 million followers 19.9 million I actually bought,' quipped someone else, with another asking, '20 million?'

'20 million? Try 16 and declining … fake,' chimed in someone else.  

'She means all her socials combined…' reasoned one fan, but even at 18.6 million, Tammy falls short of her claim of 20 million followers. 

'She was in the news for buying them too,' said another social media user.  

Tammy has indeed attracted scrutiny in the past when it comes to her follower count, with a report in 2021 alleging her fanbase at the time may have . 

According to an audit report by FakeCheck.co for Daily Mail, the Gold Coast-based influencer's social engagement did not align with the number of followers she had at the time. 

However, her fame online has only grown in recent years, with Tammy attracting millions more followers in the five years since the audit. 

She is now set to make a mark on reality TV, a move that was met with criticism earlier this week.

Tammy appeared in a new trailer for Shark! on Wednesday, and in the clip, which was shared to Instagram, Hembrow explained how dicing with dangerous beasts was right up her alley.