Perez Hilton has been hospitalised after appearing to harm himself on a TikTok livestream.
The US celebrity blogger and presenter’s fans called police to Hilton’s Florida home on Tuesday after fearing he had harmed himself.
Graphic videos of Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira Jr, covered in blood circulated on social media after his livestream ended.
The 48-year-old was found alone inside his house when the authorities arrived, according to the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office.
Police said they had “received multiple calls regarding an individual who was livestreaming acts of self-harm on social media”.
“Deputies quickly located the individual’s residence, where they spoke with family members on scene, and confirmed he was alone inside,” the statement said.
“In many incidents involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis or actively harming themselves, deputies prioritise de-escalation by creating time, distance and opportunities for communication.
“Unless there is an immediate threat to others, slowing the situation and utilising crisis intervention techniques can reduce the likelihood of injury to the individual, deputies and the public.”
The police’s crisis response unit and licensed mental health professionals were sent to the scene and have provided support for Hilton’s family.
Hilton was “safely recovered” and taken to hospital, where he is receiving medical attention. His current condition is not yet known.
His fans commented during the livestream urging him to stop as he appeared to self-harm. The video was later taken down and Hilton’s account was suspended.
Hilton’s managers told TMZ in a joint statement they were “aware of the concerning content circulating online involving our client, Perez Hilton”.
“At this time, we have not been able to make direct contact with him, despite our ongoing efforts to reach him,” they said.
“Our primary concern is Perez’s health and well-being, as well as the well-being of his family. Until we have confirmed information, we will not speculate or comment further. We appreciate everyone’s concern and ask that his privacy be respected during this time.”
The gossip columnist has suffered a slew of serious health issues in recent months.
In March, he was hospitalised with severe sepsis while in Las Vegas. Weeks later, he returned to hospital after developing a deep vein thrombosis in his right leg.
Hilton shot to fame in the 2000s with his celebrity gossip website PerezHilton.com, which was well-known for offering an unfiltered look at pop culture. He appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2015.
In 2012 he told The New York Times he didn’t want to be as provocative in his writing anymore.
“What’s important for me is not being liked, but it is that people think I am no longer toxic to the world,” he said.
“I’m aware of the fact there are going to be a lot of people with lingering resentment and a lot of sceptics.”
He has remained a well-known online personality for more than two decades.
Hilton has three children, who he welcomed via surrogacy. His eldest son was born in 2013, followed by two daughters in 2015 and 2017.
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