Sylvester Stallone has reassured fans he is ‘alive and well and happy and healthy’ after an internet hoax claiming he was dead began to make the rounds.

Axar.az informs citing metro.co.uk.

‘Please ignore this stupidity… Alive and well and happy and healthy… Still punching!, he shared on Instagram alongside a grab of the alleged hoax. A second post saw him remind fans to ‘always grab LIFE by the throat and do not let go until you succeed!!!’

The hoax had first done the rounds 18 months ago but many fans were still left worried about the legendary actor. It first emerged in September 2016, claiming the Hollywood icon had died; a message had appeared on Facebook claiming Stallone had been found dead at his Los Angeles home after a battle with prostrate cancer, however, it soon transpired that it was a sick hoax when users found it was linked to a website notorious for sharing celebrity death hoaxes.

The same site had previously claimed the likes of Vin Diesel, Jaden Smith, Angelina Jolie, Nicolas Cage, Jim Carrey and John Cena had all died.