Tori Spelling Reacts To Critics After Posting Fake Pregnancy Announcement

Tori Spelling spoke out after her April Fools’ Day prank about being pregnant again sparked a backlash

Add another one to the list of April Fool’s Day jokes that might have missed the mark. Former Beverly Hills, 90210 actor faked a baby bump in an Instagram pic she uploaded Thursday, along with the caption “No. 6.” While several supporters cheered for Spelling and her family in the comment section, others were baffled about the timing of her April 1st announcement and were offended that she would joke about being pregnant again.

Fans advised Spelling that April Fools’ Day jokes about pregnancy can be hurtful and insensitive to those who have a lost a child or are living with infertility.

“Better not be a joke. Joking about pregnancy on April Fools is beyond-tacky,” one fan posted.

“I really hope you aren’t using a pregnancy as an April fools joke considering there are so many women out there who wish they could have just one child. You have been blessed with 5, please have compassion and empathy. This is nothing to joke about!” wrote another Instagram user.

“I really hope this isn’t an April Fools joke, this would cruel to all of the mommas who have lost babies or are having a difficult time getting pregnant,” another wrote in the comment section.

Spelling posted a response on Friday, saying that her fake pregnancy announcement was intended to taunt the media for speculating about her expecting “yet another” baby.

“Every week, magazine and press outlets ask if I am pregnant. To set the record straight, I am not,” she wrote in a message on Instagram. “The fact is, after my fifth baby, my body didn’t bounce back like it had before. That’s when the constant questions of ‘yet another’ pregnancy first began. Unless you’re in the public eye, it is hard to understand what it feels like to be body shamed so publicly. I feel like I have to constantly defend my body when instead, I should be honoring it for the miracle of life it game me five times.”

Spelling also confessed to fans that she’s experienced a miscarriage before, and explained she would never purposely hurt someone who’s suffered pregnancy loss or been unable to conceive.

“I know that pregnancy is an extreme blessing. And I would never intentionally poke fun at losing a child or not being able to carry one. I myself have miscarried,” she wrote in her statement. “My post was simply to turn the tables for once on the press. They constantly create wild and often hurtful stories about me, my body, and my family.”

“For those of you that are hurt, I hear you. I love you. I welcome your stories and I will try my best to be there to support you. Please accept this as a virtual hug to my entire community,” she added.

The reviews of her apology were mixed, but at the end of the day, most of her fans seemed to appreciate the gesture, flooding her post with heart emojis and understanding comments.