Today on Newstalk Daily, Ciara Doherty speaks to Ross Cullen, Paris Bureau Chief for Feature Story News, about one of the more bizarre and disturbing examples of online misinformation—an unfounded conspiracy theory claiming that France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, was born male.

Ciara and Ross unpack how this fake news took root online, the legal fallout it’s triggered, and how a recent appeals court ruling has once again brought the story into the headlines. They explore how the theory has been amplified by the American alt-right, including figures like Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson, and examine the wider implications when digital disinformation crosses into real-world consequences.

They also delve into the media’s fascination with Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron’s relationship—from the conspiracy theories to the constant scrutiny of their body language and the age-gap romance that first caught the world’s attention.

This podcast is a case study in how falsehoods spread, stick, and spiral—and what happens when personal lives become public battlegrounds in the era of viral misinformation.

What begins as an online lie can shape real reputations, fuel political narratives, and lead all the way to the courtroom.

📧 Email the show at newstalkdaily@newstalk.com