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TV Reporter Erroneously Announces Death Of English Playwright William Shakespeare

By Michael Bamidele

29 May 2021   |   6:29 pm

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An Argentinian TV reporter left viewers completely baffled on Thursday after announcing that the famous English playwright William Shakespeare had just died five months after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine. In what has been described as a comedy of errors, Noelia Novillo, a newsreader on Canal 26, mistook the 16th century playwright for William 'Bill' Shakespeare,…

William Shakespeare (1564 – 23 April 1616) | Image: Biography.com

An Argentinian TV reporter left viewers completely baffled on Thursday after announcing that the famous English playwright William Shakespeare had just died five months after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine.

In what has been described as a comedy of errors, Noelia Novillo, a newsreader on Canal 26, mistook the 16th century playwright for William ‘Bill’ Shakespeare, an 81-year-old man from Coventry called died five months after getting the Covid-19 vaccine.

According to The Guardian UK, Novillo announced on air: “We’ve got news that has stunned all of us given the greatness of this man,” she said.

“We’re talking about William Shakespeare and his death. We’ll let you know how and why it happened.”

William ‘Bill’ Shakespeare, no relation, receives the Pfizer vaccine at University hospital, Coventry. He has died of an unrelated illness. Photograph: Jacob King/PA

Over footage of Bill Shakespeare chatting as he received the vaccine, the newsreader added: “As we all know, he’s one of the most important writers in the English language – for me the master. Here he is. He was the first man to get the coronavirus vaccine. He’s died in England at the age of 81.”

The great English writer William Shakespeare died in 1616. His works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays; including “Romeo and Juliet”, “Macbeth”, “Twelfth Night” and “As You Like It”, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

While Bill Shakespeare, who was the second person in the world to get the Pfizer vaccine in December last year, died of a stroke on May 20, which was unrelated to his Covid-19 jab.

Viewers took to Twitter to point out the blunder:

One person wrote: “Ok … If that man really was called ‘William Shakespeare’ and he was a ‘famous writer’ … Wow!

“Either he was the same (over 400 years), or he was a clone or he was reincarnated. Although you do not believe it!”

Another joked: “Damn! Who could imagine such a tragedy? The death of William Shakespeare has taken us all by surprise, with just 457 years. Gone in the prime of life…”

Another added: “Such a fuss over William Shakespeare’s death, but they didn’t mention that he was in such a bad way that he hadn’t produced a hit in centuries. Overrated.”