On May 24, 2023, multiple reputable news organizations reported legendary singer Tina Turner had died at the age of 83. The reports were factual. The official Facebook account for Turner posted:
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner. With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow. Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly.
Citing her manager, The Associated Press (AP) reported she died in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, after a long illness.
Known for hits like "What's Love Got to Do With It" and a cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together," Turner sold more than 150 million records worldwide, won 12 Grammy Awards, and was voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with her husband, Ike Turner, in 1991 — among other accolades.
She was also among the first celebrities to speak candidly about domestic abuse. As she recounted in her memoir, "I, Tina," Ike began hitting her shortly after they met, in the mid-1950s, and grew vicious with time, The AP reported.
Turner faced a number of health issues in the years before her death. The Guardian reported she was diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 2016 and had a kidney transplant in 2017.
Turner's death occurred months after her son Ronnie Turner died in December 2022. Shortly after that, false rumors circulated online that Tina had died, as well.
Upon her passing, celebrities flooded social media with condolences and memories of her.
Readers often turn to Snopes when they hear about a celebrity death to see if it's real or a hoax. False death announcements are a common form of internet junk news designed to convince gullible readers to go for clickbait or fall for phishing scams. Here's a deeper look into the misinformation trend, and here's a running list of celebrities that have been targets of it.