ladbible homepage
ladbible homepage
  • iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK
    • US
    • World
    • Ireland
    • Australia
    • Science
    • Crime
    • Weather
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Film
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • Netflix
    • Disney
  • Sport
  • Technology
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Money
  • Originals
    • FFS PRODUCTIONS
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • SPORTbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
Super Size Me star Morgan Spurlock has died aged 53

Home> Entertainment> Celebrity

Updated 16:30 24 May 2024 GMT+1Published 15:17 24 May 2024 GMT+1

Super Size Me star Morgan Spurlock has died aged 53

The documentary maker has died at just 53-years-old

Michael Slavin

Michael Slavin

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

Super Size Me star Morgan Spurlock has died at just 53-years-old.

The filmmaker passed away in New York on Thursday (23 May) after battling cancer.

Morgan is known for his groundbreaking documentary into fast-food chain, McDonald's, which aired nearly 20 years ago.

Confirming the news, Morgan's brother Craig told ABC News in a statement: “It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan.

Advert

Morgan Spurlock has sadly died. (Randall Michelson/WireImage)
Morgan Spurlock has sadly died. (Randall Michelson/WireImage)

"Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity. The world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”

In the Oscar-nominated documentary Super Size Me, Morgan gorged on three McDonald's meals a day, and in just a month, it had a huge impact on his body.

The filmmaker was a healthy 32-year-old when he embarked on the challenge on 1 February 2003, but over the course of the next 30 days he deteriorated rapidly, as he consumed 5,000 calories a day - twice as many as recommended as part of a balanced diet.

Within the first fortnight, he experienced a rapid decline in his health, with doctors advising him to cut his challenge short.

Morgan was determined to proceed though.

By the end, he had gained a whopping 24.5lbs (11.1kg), with his body mass increasing by 13 percent. His cholesterol also increased from 168 to 230 mg/dl, his risk of heart disease doubled, and he experienced near liver failure due to fat deposits.

Morgan sadly died on Thursday, 23 May (J. Vespa/WireImage)
Morgan sadly died on Thursday, 23 May (J. Vespa/WireImage)

On top of all of these alarming metrics picked up on by medics, Spurlock also reported chest pains, depression, exhaustion, mood swings, and a diminished sex drive.

In the years following the infamous documentary, Morgan went on to have further success under his production company, Warrior Poets.

He covered a number of different projects and topics, including a documentary on the war in Afghanistan - Where In the World is Osama Bin Laden? - as well as 30 Days, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold and Morgan Spurlock: Inside Man.

In 2017, Spurlock premiered sequel Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!, in which he attempts to open his own fast food restaurant in a bid to explore how the industry has changed since he took on his month of Maccies challenge.

YouTube originally purchased the film's distribution rights for a reported 3.5 million US dollars (£2.6 million), but the platform pulled out after Spurlock confessed to being 'part of the problem' in a blog post detailing past sexual harassment and infidelity.

Morgan's family confirmed the sad news (Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images for DIFF)
Morgan's family confirmed the sad news (Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images for DIFF)

In a lengthy post, shared from his X account, Spurlock recounted a sexual encounter from his college days which he said he thought was consensual, but said that the woman believed it was rape.

He also said he paid a settlement to a woman who worked at his office whom he would call 'hot pants' or 'sex pants'.

In the post, Morgan repeatedly wrote that he is 'part of the problem' and added that 'we all are'.

He said: "But I am also part of the solution. By recognising and openly admitting what I’ve done to further this terrible situation, I hope to empower the change within myself. We should all find the courage to admit we’re at fault.

"More than anything, I'm hopeful that I can start to rebuild the trust and the respect of those I love most. I'm not sure I deserve it, but I will work every day to earn it back.

"I will do better. I will be better. I believe we all can."

Featured Image Credit: Randall Michelson/WireImage/ J. Vespa/WireImage

Topics: Health, News, US News

Michael Slavin
Michael Slavin

Michael Slavin is LADbible's dedicated specialist Film and TV writer. Following his completion of a Masters in International Journalism at Salford University, he began working for the Warrington Guardian as a reporter. Throughout this he did freelance work about Entertainment for publications such as DiscussingFilm, where he was the Film and TV editor. Now, he is LAD's go to voice on all things Netflix, True Crime, and UK TV, as well as interviewing huge global stars such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Daisy Ridley, and Ben Stiller.

X

@michaelslavin98

Recommended reads

Cher left ‘speechless’ after discovering secret 15-year-old granddaughter in emotional callChristopher Polk/Billboard via Getty ImagesCharlize Theron makes controversial AI statement as she rips into Timothee ChalametMarc Piasecki/WireImageChernobyl first-responder reveals lifelong health damage 40 years after working in deadly radiation zone(Windfall Films/Georgiana Davies)500 flights cut for 'maintenance' as experts warn Europe to run out of fuel in 'weeks'Thierry Monasse/Getty Images

Advert

Choose your content:

23 mins ago
an hour ago
4 hours ago
  • Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images
    23 mins ago

    Cher left ‘speechless’ after discovering secret 15-year-old granddaughter in emotional call

    She only found out last year she had a teenage granddaughter

    Entertainment
  • Marc Piasecki/WireImage
    an hour ago

    Charlize Theron makes controversial AI statement as she rips into Timothee Chalamet

    She also predicted a big change in the next decade

    Entertainment
  • (Windfall Films/Georgiana Davies)
    an hour ago

    Chernobyl first-responder reveals lifelong health damage 40 years after working in deadly radiation zone

    Sergei Belyakov worked as a 'biorobot liquidator' cleaning up Chernobyl after its 1986 nuclear meltdown

    Entertainment
  • Instagram
    4 hours ago

    Photo of A-list celebrities as kids resurfaces and leaves everyone asking same thing

    You might recognise three of them, but the fourth isn't as well known

    Entertainment