Belle Gibson documentary: true story behind wellness influencer who faked having cancer

The shocking true story of Belle Gibson, the wellness influencer who faked cancer will be explored in a new documentary on ITVX. The two-part docuseries will examine what really happened and how Gibson managed to dupe so many people.

The blogger made millions off her claims that she had healed her terminal cancer through wellness and healthy eating. She boasted hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers, had an app called "Whole Pantry" and even wrote cooking books.

However, it was all a sham, with her finally admitting in 2015 that "None of it is true". So, who really is Belle Gibson, why did she fake cancer and how can you watch the Belle Gibson documentary on ITVX? Here's everything you need to know.

What is The Search for Instagram’s Worst Con Artist about?

The Search for Instagram's Worst Con Artist is a new documentary on ITVX that explores the shocking true story of wellness influencer Belle Gibson, who faked having cancer. The two episode series will explore who Gibson is, her reasoning and the aftermath of her deceit.

The synopsis from ITV reads: "The Search for Instagram’s Worst Con Artist tells the inside story of Belle Gibson, the 21-year-old social influencer who duped millions of followers by claiming she cured her terminal cancer through wellness and healthy eating."

Who is Belle Gibson?

Belle Gibson was a wellness influencer who found fame and fortune after claiming that she had cured her terminal cancer diagnosis through wellness and healthy eating. In 2013 she launched the "Whole Pantry" app, which was named Apple's Best Food and Drink App in the same year. She also landed book deals, with her cookbook being published in 2014.

She made huge profits and claimed that she would give donations to charities, but everything came crashing down in 2015 after questions were raised about the accuracy of her backstory, her health claims and charitable donations. Eventually in an interview with Australian Women's Weekly in April 2015 she came clean, admitting: "None of it’s true."

Why did she fake having cancer?

Gibson has never explained her reasons behind the grift. In the 2015 interview she stated that she didn't "want forgiveness", adding: "I just think [speaking out] was the responsible thing to do. Above anything, I would like people to say, 'Okay, she's human."

Gibson was prosecuted for her fraudulent claims and in September 2017 was ordered to pay a fine of $410,000 AUD (£240,000) to charity. Her home was raided in 2021 in an attempt to recoup finances to pay the fine, which still had not been paid.

Where is Belle Gibson now?

Gibson's current whereabouts are not known. The former influencer has kept a low profile after she was revealed to be a fraud. She does not feature in the documentary, with any recordings of her being take from her past works.

When can you watch Belle Gibson documentary?

The Search for Instagram's Worst Con Artist is available to watch on ITVX from Thursday November 2.