Yahoo News Jennifer Saunders forced to deny writing anti-NHS rant circulating on social media
Jennifer Saunders has been forced to deny writing an anti-NHS rant circulating on social media.
The Absolutely Fabulous star has begun trending as users shared multiple version fo a fake message, claiming to be, “from Jennifer Saunders, the actress.”
Saunders, 61, tweeted: “Not me. Not by me. The Official Jennifer Saunders Facebook page is not me. Please ignore.”
Not me. Not by me. The Official Jennifer Saunders Facebook page is not me. Please ignore. https://t.co/b3gCcQEuQk
— jennifer saunders (@ferrifrump) April 27, 2020
She added: “Out of interest where has it come from? It’s not on the fake Official Jennifer Saunders page.”
One version of the post trending on Twitter contains multiple typing errors, including the repeated mispelling of the word government as “goverment”.
Latest coronavirus news, updates and advice
Live: Follow all the latest updates from the UK and around the world
Fact-checker: The number of COVID-19 cases in your local area
6 charts and maps that explain how COVID-19 is spreading
The rant defends the UK government over its perceived failure to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for NHS staff, carers and key workers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
It goes on to brand NHS staff "lazy" and blames them for not having enough PPE to protect themselves.
And it argues that the government should not be responsible for providing PPE to private or council-run care homes.
Saunders has been quick to distance herself from the post, and it has now been taken down from Facebook.
But it is still being shared on Twitter, with the actress’s name trending.
In March 2019 Saunders was one of a legion of celebrities to sign a petition to cancel Brexit.
She joined Hugh Grant, Professor Brian Cox, Annie Lennox, actors Eddie Marsan and Andy Serkis and Armando Iannucci in signing the ‘Revoke Article 50 and remain in the EU’ petition.
Earlier this month Saunders announced the West End revival of the Sister Act musical was being postponed until 2021 due to the lockdown imposed to limit the spread of COVID-19.
The comedian - who co-wrote the flop Spice Girls musical - is set to star opposite Whoopi Goldberg in a new stage production of the hit crime comedy musical.
