Hugh Hefner has taken to his Twitter profile to rubbish internet rumours he passed away on Monday (11th July 2011). The social networking site lit up with suggestions the Playboy mogul had died, but the 85-year-old told followers he was "very much alive" in a humorous post.
Addressing his 750,000 followers, Hugh tweeted, "The rumors of my death are, as Mark Twain observed in a similar situation, greatly exaggerated. I'm very much alive & kicking". He also alerted fans that he was not only live, but "lying in bed" next to the Playboy model Shera Bechard. Hefner was scheduled to marry his fiance Crystal Harris at his famous mansion last month, but the model chose to cancel the nuptials at the last minute. The ceremony was intended to form an upcoming reality television show, but the magazine magnate has decided to air the episode as a 'Runaway Bride' special. He told twitter followers, "The guys & I watched an early edit of 'Hef's Runaway Bride' tonight. The fans are going to love it". Hefner and Harris reportedly remain on good terms despite their separation.
Hugh Hefner launched Playboy in December 1953, with the first issue featuring Marilyn Monroe. He had previously worked as a copywriter for Esquire magazine but left after being denied a pay rise.
