‘I’m alive': Bride and Prejudice star Dannii Erksine hits back at death claims

An Aussie reality TV star has re-emerged after her social media account stated she was dead. But she said her family had now “disowned” her.

A former Australian reality TV star has emerged to deny reports that she died and has claimed that her social media accounts were hacked to falsely claim she had passed away.

Last week, it was announced on social media that Bride and Prejudice participant Dannii Erskine had been killed in a horror car crash in Melbourne on April 29.

“Yes I have been in hospital but (I’m) very much alive”, she was reported to have said.

Ms Erskine added that her family had “disowned her” following the death drama.

The 28-year-old featured on the Channel 7 show in 2019 with her then-fiance, Denton Ansley.

Someone claiming to be her sister Dee told the So Dramatic! podcast, hosted by entertainment journalist Megan Pustetto, that Ms Erskine’s car was T-boned on the way home from the shops in North Melbourne.

“Dee” said Ms Erskine had sustained catastrophic injuries when her head impacted the airbag and she later died in hospital.

There also appeared to be a post from her family to her Instagram page, stating “REST IN PEACE Dannii Erskine. 1995-2023”.

The social media account was shortly after deleted.

Dannii Erskine with then fiance Denton Ansley in Bride and Prejudice. Picture: Channel 7.

However, there were then rumblings that Ms Erskine might be alive after all.

Ms Pustetto said that several listeners who knew Ms Erskine had got in touch to say they had received strange, garbled text messages from the funeral home about the ceremony which aroused their suspicions.

Ms Pustetto said she had called the funeral home, where the text messages had reportedly come from, to be told there were no funerals for that date or any listed under Ms Erskine’s name.

Victoria Police said there had been no major accidents in the location where Ms Erskine supposedly perished while the coroner’s office had no records of her death.

Erskine appeared on the show in 2019. Picture: Channel 7.

Tributes to Erskine appeared on her social media pages.

Dannii Erskine responds

Following the furore, which has been going on for at least a week, Ms Erskine has now re-emerged sending a statement to So Dramatic!

“On the 29th of April, 2023, my Instagram account was hacked,” she stated.

“I spoke to the police over the phone and they’re going to look into it … I also reported it to Google.”

Ms Erskine said a notification on her phone said it had been logged into in Geelong the day before she was reported as having died. She lives in the Mornington Peninsula.

The former contestant insisted her sister Dee “never emailed” the podcast but rather it was “sent from someone who hacked my account”.

“I have no idea who emailed So Dramatic! and to be honest I don’t really care.”

Ms Erskine said she had indeed been in a car accident – but that was in September of last year.

“For the last six months I have been home bound due to an injury in my ankle. I was in hospital for many months including rehab.”

She said she had been in hospital “all week” getting her ankle reconstructed and doctors said she should focus on her recovery.

“I haven’t had time to deal with this”.

Ms Erskine has said her family “disowned” her. Picture: Channel 7.

Family ‘disowned me’

The Bride and Prejudice star claimed she was “advised not to comment” on the rumours, but didn’t state who had advised her not to immediately set the record straight about her supposed death.

She complained that media had not “confirmed” her death with family members.

Ms Pustetto of So Dramatic! has said she has seen several messages from family members regarding the apparent death.

In her statement, Ms Erskine said her family were unimpressed by the incident.

“I spoke to my family who (have) now completely disowned me. They advised to try (and) focus on my upcoming surgery.

“It has put a lot of stress on my family and has caused severe issues for my sister.”

Following the announcement of her death, tributes flowed in for Ms Erskine with her family leaving heartbreaking comments on her Instagram page.

“28/04 took Dannii’s life to a speeding driver – An awful accident [sic],” one family member wrote.

“We appreciate and respect wishes we have received as a family.”

“Rest well Dans,” another Instagram post read.

Originally published as ‘I’m alive': Bride and Prejudice star Dannii Erksine hits back at death claims