Rumors that Arab Idol contestant, Raghad Al Jaber, committed suicide after a flopped audition on the hit show are completely untrue, according to MBC.
News hit the celebosphere that the wannabe star killed herself after her Haifa Wehbe inspired performance left judges and viewers in fits of laughter.
After her disastrous audition - which featured in the second episode of the series - Raghad was reportedly faced with an onslaught of sarcastic comments on social networking sites.
News emerged that the Idol contestant was found dead in her home in Adhamiya, Baghdad, on Saturday, after allegedly cutting through an artery in her left wrist.
According to sources, Raghad left a suicide note saying that she regretted taking part in the competition and apologizing to the Iraqi people for the "scandal".
However, owners of the show, MBC, contacted the contestant and have reported that she is alive and well.
With news of Raghad's death now said to be nothing more than a vicious lie, people across the region are left wondering who was behind the rumor.
Some netizens have accused MBC of spreading the lies to generate publicity, while others have put the rumors down to makers of the region's other talent competitions, intent on bringing bad press to their rival show.
Other suspects include Haifa Wehbe fans, insulted by the contestant's tuneless imitation of their idol, and even Raghad herself.
Whether true or not, the Raghad rumors have shed light on a darker side of talent shows.
