Barry Gibb alive and well despite viral death hoax

Barry Gibb has not died, despite a viral social media post claiming he had passed away.

The 79-year-old Bee Gees legend became the latest subject of a celebrity death hoax on social media over the weekend.

However, family sources have told TMZ that Gibb "is healthy, happy, and living life at his Miami-area home" despite the false death reports.

Rumours of the Night Fever singer's death gained traction on Sunday when a Facebook page titled "R.I.P. Barry Gibb" clocked up nearly one million likes. The page, which appears to have been taken down, featured a detailed false account claiming that the British hitmaker had died earlier that day.

Although the original page was deleted, the rumours had already spread across social media and online message boards, with multiple Facebook posts reporting the false news alongside AI-created images of Gibb.

The singer achieved global fame in the '60s as a founding member of the Bee Gees alongside his younger brothers, Robin and Maurice Gibb, releasing smash hits such as Stayin' Alive, Night Fever, How Deep Is Your Love, and You Should Be Dancing.

Barry is the last surviving member of the trio. Maurice died in 2003 at the age of 53 and Robin died in 2012 at the age of 62.

He is the latest celebrity to be subjected to a viral death hoax online. He follows in the footsteps of stars including Justin Bieber, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hanks, Michael J. Fox in facing bogus death reports.