Brigitte Bardot dead at 91

Brigitte Bardot has passed away at the age of 91.

Brigitte Bardot has died.

The former actress has passed away at the age of 91, her charitable foundation have announced, though they didn’t share when, where or how she died.

The organisation said in a statement: “The Brigitte Bardot foundation announces with immense sadness the death of its founder and president, Madame Brigitte Bardot, a world-renowned actress and singer, who chose to abandon her prestigious career to dedicate her life and energy to animal welfare and her foundation.”

The sad news comes just weeks after the Please, Not Now! actress recently urged fans to “calm down” and stop worrying about her following fears for her health after being hospitalised twice since October.

Her foundation issued a statement which read: “In response to the spread of false information in recent days, Ms Brigitte Bardot would like to remind everyone that she is recovering, that she would appreciate it if people would respect her privacy and invites everyone to calm down.

“Ms Bardot wishes to reassure those who are genuinely concerned about her. She sends them this message: ‘I send my love to you all.’”

In October, Brigitte was forced to deny false rumours which suggested she had died.

She posted a statement on her X account to dismiss claims made by influencer Aqababe in a now-deleted social media post suggesting she had passed away.

The actress wrote: “I don’t know who the idiot who started this ‘fake news’ about my disappearance but know that I am doing well and I have no plan on taking my bow. A word to the wise.”

Aqababe, whose real name is Aniss Zitouni, claimed in their post that they had “exclusive information” about the star’s supposed death.

The deleted post read: “Her coffin was ordered in Saint-Paul-de-Jarrat in the 09 (Ariège) department. An icon has passed away, leaving behind an unforgettable legacy and an internal imprint on the hearts of the French.”

The influencer even stood by the claims after Bardot issued her denial on X, suggesting it is not the former actress who runs her account.

Aqababe wrote: “I deleted my exclusive tweet about Brigitte Bardot’s death. It’s not her who manages her Twitter, you’ll see when AFP officially announces the death.”

Brigitte shot to global fame with her role in the 1956 movie And God Created Woman, which was written and directed by her then-husband Roger Vadim.

But in the early 1970s, she stepped away from acting to focus on activism and animal rights campaign.

Brigitte was born in Paris in 1934 and was a talented ballet dancer, who studied at the prestigious Conservatoire de Paris. She also worked as a model, covering Elle magazine at the age of just 15.

She had a number of screen roles before her breakout part in her husband’s film, and then enjoyed a string of high-profile parts in French movies including Very Private Affair and Contempt. In the late 1960s, she began working in Hollywood and also enjoyed a music career, including recording the original version of Serge Gainsbourg’s controversial track Je T’Aime… Moi Non Plus, which he had written while they were having an affair.

She was 39 when she retired from acting after making The Edifying and Joyous Story of Colinot and established her eponymous foundation in 1986.

She was married four times, to Vadim between 1952 and 1957, Jacque Charrier – the father of her son Nicholas – between 1959 and 1962, Gunter Sachs from 1966 to 1969 and Bernard D’Ormale, who she wed in 1992 and was still married to when she died.