Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Mr Bean actor Rowan Atkinson seen in a distressing bedridden state.
Fact
Photograph has been digitally manipulated.
A purported photograph showing a physically fragile Rowan Atkinson confined to his bed is viral on social media. Atkinson, a British actor and comedian, is best known for portraying the titular character in the famous comic sitcom Mr Bean. Newschecker, however, found that the photograph has been digitally manipulated.
Multiple social media users shared a collage of two images, one showing Atkinson as Mr Bean, while the other allegedly showing him bedridden in 2024.
Such posts can be seen here, here and here.
Fact Check/Verification
A Google lens search on the purported image of bedridden Atkinson led us to a report by Mirror, dated January 30, 2020. Carrying the distressing photographs of an elderly man, the report elaborated, “Barry Balderstone, 75, suffered from advanced Parkinson’s disease and he and his wife were forced to spend thousands of their hard-earned savings to foot the bill of his care.”
Adding, “The image shows him on the day that he was refused full funding which would have paid for all of his care needs…The day after that decision was made, upheld at appeal following two applications, the 75-year-old died.” Balderstone qualified for £150 a week under the continuing healthcare scheme. “That figure only covered a small percentage of the costs of his care and meant that the couple’s savings and pension pot were hit hard. East Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said Barry was not eligible for full funding, which would have paid for all of his care needs,” it further stated.
On comparing the alleged photograph of Atkinson with that of Balderstone as featured in Mirror report, we could conclude that the viral image showing the actor bedridden was manipulated
Also Read: Pro-India Chants At Republican Convention in US? No, Viral Video Of JD Vance Is Altered
Carrying the same piteous photographs of Balderstone, Manchester Evening News reported, “Although Marilyn (his wife), 73, says the photo was taken after her husband’s health had ‘gone downhill’, she says he was very ill for a long time.” “That picture haunts me, but I took it as I thought they needed to know how ill he was, he looked so terrible,” she further added.
Online Tools Enable ‘Face Swapping’ In Photographs
Multiple online platforms enable users to superimpose a person’s face on another in a photograph or video. This technique known as “face swapping,” was recently used to morph Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s face into a photograph showing a woman with a cigarette. The same was debunked by the Newschecker Hindi team.
Newschecker used one such AI-based face swapping tool to superimpose Rowan Atkinson’s face on the original photograph of elderly (for demonstration purpose only), and found the resultant image to be similar to the widely circulated visual.
Notably, the Mr Bean actor was recently seen at a Formula One event on July 7, 2024. Multiple photographs of the actor from the same, such as this, this and this, show him physically fine.
Conclusion
Hence, the viral photograph claiming to show Mr Bean actor Rowan Atkinson in a bedridden state has been digitally manipulated.
Result: Altered Photo
Sources
Report By Mirror, Dated January 30, 2020
Report By Manchester Evening News, Dated January 30, 2020
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
