French film star Brigitte Bardot has become the latest celebrity to declare that rumours of her demise have been greatly exaggerated.

A terse post on the 91-year-old’s X account on October 22 (local time) shut down claims made by an influencer on social media that she had died.

“I don’t know which idiot started this ‘fake news’ about my disappearance this evening but know that I’m fine and I have no intention of bowing out. A word to the wise,” said the post, written in French.

The “idiot” was a 27-year-old influencer named Aqababe, whose since-deleted post claimed they had “exclusive information” that Bardot had died.

“Her coffin was ordered in Saint-Paul-de-Jarrat in the 09 (Ariège) department,” stated Aqababe (real name Aniss Zitouni). “An icon has passed away, leaving behind an unforgettable legacy and an internal imprint on the hearts of the French.”

Je ne sais pas quel est l’imbécile qui a lancé ce soir cette fake news sur ma disparition mais sachez que je vais bien et que je n’ai pas l’intention de tirer ma révérence. À bon entendeur

— Brigitte Bardot (@brigitte_bardot) October 22, 2025

Bardot reportedly returned to her home in the French Riviera town of Saint-Tropez last week after a three-week stay in a private hospital after undergoing minor surgery for an unspecified condition.

While French media has suggested the star had suffered a “serious illness”, the Daily Mail reported a spokesperson as saying: “Madame Bardot has returned home and is now resting. She’s fine.”

Bardot rose to international fame as both a sex symbol and an actress in the 1950s and ’60s, starring in films such as Viva Maria!, And God Created Women, The Truth and A Very Private Affair. She also released several records.

She retired from acting in the early 1970s, moving to Saint-Tropez and focussing her energy on animal welfare causes.

Bardot is the latest of several celebrities who have taken to social media recently to downplay concerns about their health.

“Ain’t dead yet”, 79-year-old country music star Dolly Parton said in a video posted on Instagram earlier this month after her younger sister Freida sparked alarm by asking fans to pray for her as she dealt with a number of health challenges.

While Dolly had been forced to postpone upcoming live performances at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, she reassured fans: “I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God is through with me. And I ain’t done working.”

I over indulged. I thank you all for caring but I’m perfectly fine. I keep telling you all: don’t trust tabloids or AI! 😉 pic.twitter.com/p1jC202kAx

— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) September 25, 2025

Last month, Star Trek star William Shatner similarly scotched suggestions he was seriously unwell after celebrity news website TMZ published photos of a Los Angeles City Fire Department ambulance outside his home with the headline: “Medical scare sends Captain Kirk to hospital”.

The report said he had experienced issues with his blood sugar levels.

Shatner, best known for commanding the USS Enterprise as Captain Kirk in the original series of Star Trek, downplayed the concerns with a post on X featuring a photograph of himself playing Mark Twain in the television drama Murdoch Mysteries and the caption: “Rumours of my demise have been greatly exaggerated”.

“I over indulged,” the 94-year-old wrote.

“I thank you all for caring but I’m perfectly fine. I keep telling you all: don’t trust tabloids or AI!”

Bardot’s post declaring she is fine hasn’t completely silenced the influencer who this week claimed she was dead, with Aqababe suggesting it is not the former actress who runs her account.

“I deleted my exclusive tweet about Brigitte Bardot’s death,” they wrote. “It’s not her who manages her Twitter, you’ll see when AFP officially announces the death.”

­–with AAP