star Josh Seiter has confirmed he is alive and well, following a hoax ‘death’ announcement on his Instagram page.
News broke yesterday that , with a heartbreaking statement posted on .
However, in a bizarre turn of events, Josh has shared a new video, explaining that his page was ‘hacked’ with a ‘cruel joke’.
‘As you can see, I am alive and well,’ he began. ‘My account was hacked, for the last 24 hours I have been trying desperately to get into it.
‘Somebody was playing a cruel joke and mocking my mental illness, and the struggles I’ve gone through with depression and suicide attempts.
‘I’m sorry for all the pain they caused when they made that post.’
He continued: ‘I just got back into my account. I’m going to do all I can, with my team, to try to identify who was behind this.
‘Again, I apologize for the confusion and I will update you as more facts come in.’
Josh came to fame in 2015 after taking part in season 11 of the Bachelorette, competing for the affections of Kaitlyn Bristowe.
He was eliminated in week one alongside five other men – with Shawn Booth eventually going on to announce his engagement to Kaitlyn.
On Monday evening, a now-deleted statement was shared on the reality star’s Instagram page, appearing to announce the sad news of his death.
‘It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the tragic news of Joshua’s unexpected passing,’ the message, thought to be from his loved ones, read.
‘As all who knew him can attest, Joshua was an incredibly bright light in an increasingly dim world. His fearless voice and indomitable spirit helped thousands of people in their darkest moments feel just a little less alone.
‘Although our heartache at Joshua’s passing pains us beyond measure, we find comfort in knowing that he is finally at peace.
‘We hope and pray that his spirit can continue to live on in the pictures and words on this page, which we will leave up for the time being.
‘While we do that, we would kindly ask for privacy as we grieve. For anybody who is experiencing a mental health crisis and needs help, the 988 SMS Lifeline provides 24/7 free and confidential support for people in distress, as well as prevention and crisis resources.’
Tributes poured in online, with Drag Race stars Monica Beverly Hillz, Monique Heart, Brooke Lynn Hytes and Ongina among those offering their condolences.
