Media outlets follow false story about death of reality TV star Dannii Erskine

Multiple media outlets failed to check with police before airing false reports that reality television star Dannii Erskine had died in a car crash, basing the story on unverified online rumours.

Reality TV star Dannii Erskine.

Multiple media outlets failed to check with police before airing false reports that reality television star Dannii Erskine had died in a car crash, basing the story on unverified online rumours.

Last month, the Daily Mail, 7NEWS.com.au, Sky News Australia and news.com.au reported that Erskine had died after her car was T-boned by another vehicle in North Melbourne.

But it emerged that Erskine, who featured in the 2019 Channel 7 series of Bride and Prejudice, was not dead and had not been involved in any car accidents in late April.

The mainstream media reports were based on online gossip and a postpublished on the 28-year-old reality TV star’s Instagram account.

An Instagram post claiming reality TV star Dannii Erskine had died in a car crash.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman told The Australian on Friday that no media companies checked to see if a car accident had occurred in North Melbourne in late April and if there were any deaths in the area at that time.

“It appears we didn’t receive any inquiries prior to the stories being run,” a Victoria police spokeswoman said.

A podcast titled So Dramatic, led by entertainment journalist Megan Pustetto and published by the independently owned So Dramatic! Media Pty Ltd, aired the original story about Erskine after receiving an email stating she had died.

Days later, Pustetto read out a statement that was said to be from Erskine via a friend, claiming the original reports were wrong.

“My account was hacked and my family would never confirm to the media or post on my Instagram,” the Erskine statement read.

“I spoke to the police over the phone and they are going to look into it.”

The media companies that published the story about Erskine’s alleged death would not comment when The Australian questioned them on why the stories were published without any apparent attempt to determine if the story was true.

Sky News Australia ran an editor’s note at the bottom of a story about Erskine, noting her statement that her Instagram account had been hacked.

Some international media outlets have failed to make any amendments or corrections to the articles, and the stories reporting Erskine’s death remain online.

Both skynews.com.au and news.com.au are owned by News Corp Australia, publisher of The Australian.