Hoaxers spread fake news about Ab Fab creator

Jennifer Saunders has been the victim of internet hoaxers circulating a fake message about personal protective equipment (PPE).

A poorly-written rant that blames ‘lazy-arse’ NHS managers for the shortages of masks and gowns has been circulating on Facebook, attributed to the Ab Fab creator.

But Saunders has quickly distanced herself from the message, tweeting: ‘Not me. Not by me. The Official Jennifer Saunders Facebook page is not me. Please ignore.’

The post was actually shared by the ‘Jennifer Saunders Fans’ Facebook page, not the verified Jennifer Saunders page, which has not posted in five years.

Organisers of the fan page – which is full of memes with no relation to Jennifer Saunders – said they simply reposted a message and had never attributed it to the comedian, but after receiving what they called a ‘torrid of abuse’, have now taken down the original post.

The diatribe attempted to deflects blame from the government from the lack of PPE in the NHS front line and instead takes aim at the media for and the ‘crayon munching joe public’ who believe it.

And it told those criticising the government response to  ‘STFU [shut the fuck up] we need to get through this and your incessant squeaking is nothing but oxygen waste.’

Published: 29 Apr 2020