Pete Evans slammed over bizarre new Insta post: 'Have some respect'

Former My Kitchen Rules star Pete Evans is copping criticism for his latest Instagram post suggesting the coronavirus pandemic is a hoax.

As global cases reach 10.3 million and deaths pass the 500,000 mark, Evans shared a meme comparing a ferocious T-Rex from Jurassic Park to the cuddly children's entertainer Barney the dinosaur: "Covid according to the media / covid in real life".
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Evans captioned the pic with a love heart and rainbow emoji.

But even among his loyal Instagram followers, the post was met with a mixed response.

"Thousands of people have died – have some respect," wrote one person under the post.

"I don't know if people who have lost loved ones to covid would think this," said another.

Others, however, praised Evans for telling the "truth" about the deadly virus, which shows no signs of slowing down as it sweeps across the globe.

Over on Twitter – usually a sceptical audience for Evans' recent conversion into full-blown conspiracy theorist – the former TV chef's name was trending once more as people mocked the post.

As some pointed out, it wasn't too long ago Evans was flogging a $15,000 "light frequency machine" that he said could fight the deadly coronavirus. That's a lot of money to pay to fight a disease that's, according to Evans now, as harmless as Barney the dinosaur.

This is the latest in a string of coronavirus conspiracy theories Evans has posted to social media in recent months.

The TV chef parted ways with Channel 7 in March, having appeared on every season of My Kitchen Rules since 2010. Industry site TV Blackbox claimed "the separation was an amicable decision" and that Evans will now focus on his "alternative lifestyle" empire.

Since the split, Evans has sat down for a controversial interview with Nine's 60 Minutes programme, and posted increasingly strange conspiracy theories to his quarter-million strong Instagram following.