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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Annabel Nugent

People baffled over BBC breaking four-year old news of American actor Mary Tyler Moore’s death

Photograph: Getty Images

People have been left confused after BBC News published breaking news reports that Mary Tyler Moore had died, four years after the actor’s actual death.

The Oscar-nominated actor and US sitcom star died aged 80 in January, 2017.

Users on social media were baffled after the BBC announced the news on their social media channels earlier today (25 March). A post from their official BBC Breaking News Twitter account has since been deleted.

“Peculiar announcement by the BBC a few moments ago. Considering Mary Tyler Moore already died back in 2017,” commented one person.

Another user added: “Who’s going to tell them that Mary Tyler Moore has been dead since 2017?”

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Someone else wrote: “Mary Tyler Moore’s died again I see…”

A fourth person said: “Well this is odd… @BBCBreaking is tweeting that #MaryTylerMoore has passed away… Ummmm you are right, she did, but it was 4 years ago on January 25, 2017!!!”

The breaking news report of Moore’s death, which was published by the BBC on 25 March, 2021 (Twitter)

Tyler’s cause of death was cited as cardiopulmonary arrest after she had contracted pneumonia.

The seven-time Emmy Award winner battled diabetes over the years and had been breathing through a respirator for more than a week, a source told TMZ at the time. 

She was first diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 33 when she began starring in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which told the story of a young, independent woman working in a Minneapolis newsroom.

The sitcom aired from 1970 to 1977, and was a hit for CBS. Moore’s role earned her four of her seven total Emmy Awards. Her depiction of a single career woman was hailed by feminists of the era.

After the reports of Moore’s death surfaced in 2017, Hollywood stars – including Viola Davis, Ellen DeGeneres and Uzo Abuda – mourned the actress on social media.

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