The Bachelorette star Josh Seiter confirms he's alive after death hoax
Former Bachelorette star Josh Seiter has confirmed he is alive following a death announcement on his social media.
The reality star posted a video message on Instagram on Tuesday (August 29) as proof of life, one day after a message was posted on his social media announcing that he'd died.
In his message to fans, Josh said his account had been hacked and the fraudulent post took advantage of his previous transparency about mental health issues.
"For the last 24 hours, I’ve been trying desperately to get into [my account]," he said in a video message.
Related: The Golden Bachelor reveals first senior leading man at age 71
"Somebody was playing a cruel joke and mocking my mental illness and the struggles I’ve gone through with depression and suicide attempts, and I'm sorry for all the pain they caused when they made that post. I just got back into my account.
"I am going to do all I can with my team to try to identify who was behind this, but again, I apologize for the confusion and I will update you guys as more facts come in."
Among those who posted tributes to Josh was Monica Beverly Hillz of RuPaul's Drag Race, who has been linked romantically to the reality star.
Seiter originally competed in the 11th season of The Bachelorette in 2015, during which he was sent home in a two-part premiere twist where multiple male contestants were axed. He was billed as both a law student and an exotic dancer on the show.
Related: The Bachelor, Drag Race, Love Is Blind and RHONY stars set for new reality show
That season featured a twist where two women competed for the title of Bachelorette, with the male suitors eventually picking Bristowe over fellow Bachelor Nation alum Britt Nilsson.
Since his time on the reality series, Josh has become an advocate for mental health and body positivity, posting about these topics on his social media accounts.
We encourage anyone who identifies with the topics raised in this article to reach out. Information about how to access support is available via the NHS, and organisations who can offer help include Samaritans on 116 123 or Mind on 0300 123 3393.
Readers in the US are encouraged to visit mentalhealth.gov.
You Might Also Like
