Pilates Star's Pregnancy Joke Sparks Outrage

Sydney socialite Bernadette Sukkar, 36, faced significant backlash on Wednesday for an April Fool's Day post where she appeared to fake a pregnancy to promote prenatal classes for her business, Body by Berner. The post, which showed a fake baby bump, was quickly deemed insensitive by many followers.

Criticism flooded in, with comments calling the joke tone-deaf and highlighting the pain experienced by those affected by miscarriage and child loss. Red Nose Australia, a national charity, had recently issued a warning against such jokes, noting that nearly a quarter of pregnancies end in miscarriage and emphasizing that pregnancy and loss are deeply felt experiences, not topics for humor.

Sukkar subsequently removed most comments and took down the post entirely. The incident has sparked a wider conversation about influencers balancing humor with sensitivity on delicate topics like pregnancy and grief.