Olivia Newton-John has addressed rumours she's on "death's door". Photo / Getty Images
Olivia Newton-John has released a cheeky video message for her worried fans addressing worldwide reports that she is at death's door.
The 70-year-old entertainer posted a clip on her official Facebook and Twitter fan pages on Thursday, just 24 hours after rumours spread that her battle with breast cancer was nearing a tragic end.
"Happy New Year everyone — this is Olivia Newton-John and I just want to say that the rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated, to quote a very famous quote," a healthy looking Newton-John said in the message.
"I'm doing great and I want to wish all of you the happiest, healthiest 2019 as possible.
"Thank you all for your wonderful love and support for me and my Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness Centre in Melbourne, Australia."
Happy New Year! Here’s to a wonderful 2019! Love & light, Olivia pic.twitter.com/1Nd2jIcRb1
— Olivia Newton-John (@olivianj) January 3, 2019
It's understood the message was filmed at her Santa Barbara ranch in California, which she shares with her husband John Easterling.
The iconic Australian actress and singer is battling breast cancer and a tumour on the base of her spine, but American gossip site Radar Online claimed her body was "shutting down".
Some Australian media outlets seized on the unconfirmed reports on Wednesday, sparking a frenzy of activity on social media from her worried fans.
The local website Now To Love claimed that people close to Newton-John, 70, say she was struggling with her cancer battle and her prognosis is "weeks, not months".
Those in the star's inner-circle told news.com.au yesterday that ONJ is A-OK.
An Australian source said Newton-John, famed for her role in Grease and a string of musical hits, has been perfectly well and had enjoyed the Christmas and New Year period.
Her American representative Michael Caprio laughed when contacted by news.com.au, saying reports of his client's imminent demise were "hilarious".
View this post on InstagramWishing you all a healthy happy peaceful Christmas and New Year. Love and light Olivia x
A post shared by Olivia Newton-john (@therealonj) on
"No she has not," Mr Caprio said. "You might want to get better sources versus reading tabloids."
And this morning, her niece Totti Goldsmith appeared on Australian television saying she had been granted permission to set the record straight about the "sick rumours".
"You can rest assured she is going nowhere and in really good health. A sick rumour," she told Channel 7's Sunrise.
She later posted a photo of herself and Newton-John smiling and embracing with the caption: "Just giving you the heads up that Livvy is in good health, so let's leave that distressing rumour where it belongs."
And her social media manager Randy Slovacek told The Herald Sun newspaper: "We have stated over and over again publicly she's feeling better. People just seem to want to believe some dramatic turn."
It's understood the Radar Online story followed a report in the dubious US tabloid National Enquirer, which touted a "tragic world exclusive" late last month.
"THE END," its headline read. "Losing third fight with cancer; going home to die on her ranch."
Newton-John was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992 and managed to beat it. A second occurrence in 2013, that time in her shoulder, was kept a secret from the world.
In 2017, she decided to go public with her third battle and spoke of her mix of treatments — radiation as well as more natural remedies, as well as cannabis oil.
"In California it's legal to grow a certain amount of plants for your own medicinal purposes," she told Channel 7's Sunday Night program.
"So he [her husband] makes me tinctures. It's hard to say, they help with pain.
"I'm very lucky that I live in a state where it's legal and that I have a husband that is a plant-medicine man.
"My dream is that, in Australia soon, it will be available to all the cancer patients and people going through cancer that causes pain."
In a later appearance on Channel 7's Sunrise, Newton-John said she was keeping positive.
"I have no pain and life is wonderful," she said. "I'm treating it naturally and doing really well."
Her initial battle inspired her to open the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, which works to find breakthroughs and treatments.
It also operates the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness Centre, which provides world-leading treatment complemented by wellness programs and clinical trials.
The claims about her health swirling this week, which again her spokesman has strongly denied, prompted an outpouring of shock and grief from fans.