Where did fitness guru Richard Simmons disappear to? One of the most listened to podcasts in the country is trying to find out.
A friend of Simmons, Mauro Oliveira, made some shocking claims in the third episode of “Missing Richard Simmons,” which aired last week, according to People magazine.
Oliveira claimed that Simmons was being held hostage by his housekeeper, Teresa Reveles – a rumor that’s been circulating since last year.
But Simmons representative Tom Estey refers to the claims as a “complete load of crap.” He said Simmons is simply taking a break from the spotlight and choosing “to live a more private life,” said the New York Post.
Estey said Simmons would be back in the public eye when he “decides that he wants to come back.”
The latests claims come as Simmons, who appeared frequently on morning talk shows and TV infomercials, has been missing from the public eye for over 1,000 days ago, according to People.
The creator of the podcast, Dan Taberski, once attended Simmons’ exercise sessions in Beverly Hills and claims to have had a personal relationship with him, noted Today.
Taberski said one day Simmons just stopped showing up to his classes, which wasn’t normal for him at all.
Taberski said that wasn’t the worst part, though.
“And he didn’t just stop showing up,” Taberski said in the first episode of the podcast, according to Today. “He stopped communicating all together.”
Simmons had a message for his fans when he spoke to Today’s Savannah Guthrie via phone last March.
“All the people that are worrying about me, I want to tell them that I love them with my whole heart and soul, and that not to worry. Richard is fine,” said Simmons.
Simmons also responded to the hostage rumors during his conversation with Guthrie.
“No one is holding me in my house as a hostage,” he told Guthrie. “You know, I do what I want to do, as I’ve always done.”
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