The Rise and Fall of Belle Gibson; A Netflix Miniseries Exposes the Dark Side of Wellness Culture

2025-03-01

The Netflix miniseries Apple Cider Vinegar dramatises the infamous story of Belle Gibson, an Australian wellness influencer who rose to fame by falsely claiming to have cured her terminal brain cancer through alternative therapies. Gibson, played by Kaitlyn Dever, built a lucrative empire in the early 2010s with her wellness app The Whole Pantry and a cookbook, amassing a large following on social media. She claimed her diet and holistic treatments had healed her, inspiring thousands of followers. However, investigations by journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano revealed that Gibson had never been diagnosed with cancer and had misled the public about donating to charities.

In 2017, Gibson was found guilty of misleading and deceptive conduct by an Australian federal court and fined A$410,000 (£205,000). Despite the ruling, she has reportedly failed to pay the fine, and her home has been raided multiple times in attempts to recover the money. Since the scandal, Gibson has largely disappeared from public view, briefly resurfacing in 2020 as part of Melbourne’s Oromo community, where she claimed to be known as “Sabontu.” However, she was asked to leave after her history was revealed.

The series, described as “a true story based on a lie,” explores Gibson’s rise and fall, juxtaposing her story with that of Milla Blake, a fictionalised character inspired by real-life wellness blogger Jessica Ainscough, who died from cancer after promoting alternative therapies. The show also highlights the dangers of taking medical advice from unqualified influencers, particularly in the context of the global wellness industry, which was valued at $6.3 trillion in 2023.

Apple Cider Vinegar serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of internet culture, the exploitation of vulnerable individuals, and the consequences of blindly following online personalities. The series is now available to stream on Netflix.

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