NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Lifestyle

Secret video of fake wellness blogger Belle Gibson shows publisher had doubts about her cancer story

Daily Mail
13 Sep, 2016 07:28 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Gibson told her social media followers last year her brain cancer had spread to her blood, liver, spleen, uterus and that she did not expect to survive. Photo / Instagram

Gibson told her social media followers last year her brain cancer had spread to her blood, liver, spleen, uterus and that she did not expect to survive. Photo / Instagram

Penguin, the publisher of cancer faker Belle Gibson's Whole Pantry book, may have had concerns about her story before it was printed - but did so anyhow.

It's been revealed in a secret video shown to Melbourne's Federal Court that Penguin staff questioned Gibson about her story in depth.

The video shows Gibson answering - often vaguely - questions from Penguin staff regarding details her cancer and treatment and finances during a 90-minute interview, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

At one point, a Penguin official says: "This is just for us ... so that if you are sitting opposite a Good Weekend journalist who's asking you quite investigative questions ... we want to rehearse some questions with you", according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Penguin for comment.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Gibson made more than $420,000 from her fabricated story and despite saying "large" portions were going to charity, she only donated $10,000, the court heard.

Her Whole Pantry app and book made the 24-year-old $420,000, however, it has been also reported she made as much as $578,005.

During a 2014 interview, she said she chose charities to donate large amounts of the money to quarterly, 7 News reported.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"So far we've given to nine charities," she said in the interview, which was shown in court.

But instead the money was spend on cars and travel, and only $10,000 was given to charity, it was reported.

Annabelle Natalie Gibson failed to appear in court for the fourth time on Tuesday for a hearing with Consumer Affairs Victoria, which has launched legal action against the disgraced author after she falsely claimed to use "natural remedies" to cure terminal cancer.

Consumer Affairs told the court the mother-of-one engaged in "unconscionable conduct" by claiming she was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2009 and given only four months to live before miraculously healed herself naturally after rejecting conventional treatments.

Discover more

Lifestyle

Health blogger admits cancer was a lie

22 Apr 05:29 AM
Lifestyle

Blogger in big trouble

05 May 08:30 PM
Lifestyle

Disgraced blogger may be forced to publicly apologise

28 May 12:00 AM
Opinion

'Why I regret my lesbian affair'

15 Sep 02:30 AM

The watchdog also accuses her of engaging in misleading or deceptive commerce by making the unsubstantiated claims on social media to promote her Whole Pantry book and app.

Consumer Affairs' barrister, Catherine Button, noted Gibson publicly stated she had a stroke at work and was subsequently diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour in June 2009.

Gibson told her Facebook and Instagram followers she started receiving oral chemotherapy for her cancer before abandoning conventional medicine.

Gibson then told her large social media following she started "getting back to basics" and opted for healthy foods and natural therapies which healed her cancer, the court heard.

She removed the posts once it was revealed her diagnosis and health empire was a sham.

"Her publisher went out and published her book on the basis of her claims," Ms Button said on Tuesday.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Penguin paid Gibson's company almost $264,000 for her The Whole Pantry cookbook, according to court documents.

The book was released in October 2014 and withdrawn from sale five months later.

Her app was downloaded more than 115,000 times between between August 2013 and May 2016 at $2.99 a pop.

The barrister also read out excerpts from a transcript of a 60 Minutes interview with Gibson last year during which she admitted she'd never had cancer.

This comes as a judge was urged to 'throw the book' at Gibson by cancer sufferer Ashley, who did not give her last name, as the court prepared to try her case despite her already failing to attend three court dates.

Justice Debbie Mortimer said there would be 'tough consequences', if she failed to appear.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

When earlier questioned on whether she thought she'd ever face charges, Gibson said: 'No, I don't think I will'.

Consumer Affairs Victoria said it would push ahead with the civil case in her absence, aiming to see her severely fined for duping thousands of followers.

Gibson could be fined up to $1.1 million and the watchdog also wants her to apologise with public notices in major newspapers.

Friends of Gibson are reported to have said she is "hoping [the case] will all go away" if she ignores the court warnings.

The hearing before Justice Debra Mortimer continues.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Premium
Lifestyle

Why the ageing process spikes at 44 and 60 (and how to stop it)

03 Jul 12:00 AM
Lifestyle

Affordable superfoods: How beans can boost your health and budget

02 Jul 11:57 PM
Lifestyle

Woolworths issues major recall of contaminated mince

02 Jul 10:36 PM

Sponsored: Get your kids involved in your reno

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

Premium
Why the ageing process spikes at 44 and 60 (and how to stop it)

Why the ageing process spikes at 44 and 60 (and how to stop it)

03 Jul 12:00 AM

Telegraph: A new study challenges the traditional idea that we steadily age over time.

Affordable superfoods: How beans can boost your health and budget

Affordable superfoods: How beans can boost your health and budget

02 Jul 11:57 PM
Woolworths issues major recall of contaminated mince

Woolworths issues major recall of contaminated mince

02 Jul 10:36 PM
Princess of Wales opens up about cancer recovery's 'new normal'

Princess of Wales opens up about cancer recovery's 'new normal'

02 Jul 08:02 PM
Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper
sponsored

Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP