Olivia Newton-John wants to make one thing clear as we enter the new year: she’s not on her deathbed.
Following what she called “exaggerated” reports about her health, the 70-year-old Grease and Xanadu actress shared a video on social media Wednesday to reassure her public that she’s “doing great.”
“Happy New Year, everyone!” Newton-John said. “I just want to say the rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated, to quote a very famous quote, and I’m doing great and I want to wish all of you the happiest, healthiest 2019 that’s possible.”
She added a big thank you “for the wonderful love and support for me and for my Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness Centre in Melbourne, Australia.”
A story published on RadarOnline in December sparked a whirlwind of rumors online and in tabloids when it claimed Newton-John was “clinging to life in the hopes she can see her only child, Chloe Lattanzi, marry in the new year.” It also cited a source that apparently said her “bodily functions appear to be shutting down.”
In May 2017, doctors diagnosed Newton-John with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer that spread to her back. The actress had postponed the first half of her concert tour over severe back pain that, upon further testing, was revealed to be cancer. However, a rep for Newton-John told PEOPLE this week that the recent report of her rapidly declining health was “ridiculous” and “crap.”
Newton-John’s niece, Tottie Goldsmith, also went on Instagram to refute the rumors.
“Just giving you the heads up that Livvy is in good health, so let’s leave that distressing rumor where it belongs,” Goldsmith wrote.
Reports also came about in August that claimed Newton-Johnson’s cancer had spread, with tabloids suggesting that was secretly the reason behind multiple appearance cancellations. Newton-John’s team, again, released a statement at that time refuting the “falsely reported” stories.
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