How Australian celebrity chef Pete Evans became an advocate for coronavirus and QAnon conspiracy theories

The pandemic has caused a surge of misinformation with anti-vaccination groups, the far right, libertarians, state-backed trolls and anarchists forging a loose coalition

In Australia, an unlikely mix of celebrities, wellness experts and social media influencers like Evans have become a powerful vector in that ‘infodemic’

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Pete Evans, an Australian chef, restaurateur, author and television presenter, has become a leading purveyor of conspiracy theories and pseudoscience. Photo: Pete Evans Website

Published: 12:53pm, 8 Oct 2020Updated: 3:50pm, 8 Oct 2020

One minute Australian “wellness” personality Pete Evans is posting a barbecued prawn recipe to 1.5 million Facebook followers, the next he’s claiming the coronavirus pandemic is an elaborate global hoax.

During this year of crisis, the ever smiling, one-time television chef known as “Paleo Pete” has become a leading purveyor of conspiracy and pseudoscience.

The pandemic has seen a worldwide explosion of misinformation with anti-vaccination groups, the far right, libertarians, state-backed trolls and anarchists forging a loose coalition of disgruntled.

An unlikely mix of celebrities, “wellness” experts and social media influencers like Evans have become a powerful vector in that “infodemic”.

While government scientists give earnest daily briefings, Evans turns to social media to question lockdowns and rubbish the use of face masks.

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