What was claimed
Pictures shared in 2026 show Nigel Farage in hospital after undergoing surgery.
Our verdict
False. These pictures aren’t real, and there’s no record of Mr Farage recently having a surgical procedure. Reform UK also told us the images are fake.
Pictures that appear to show the Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in hospital have been shared online with claims he has recently undergone surgery.
But these images aren’t real, and the claim that Mr Farage is recovering from surgery is false.
A spokesperson for Reform UK also told Full Fact that the images were fake.
A caption shared with one Facebook post says: “After a quiet period away from the spotlight, Nigel Farage — the veteran British political figure, Brexit campaigner, and outspoken public voice known for his blunt style and relentless energy — has finally shared an update on his health. He recently underwent surgery, and while the recovery process is far from easy, he spoke with trademark candor and determination.”
It quotes Mr Farage as saying: “I’m fighting every day. But no one gets through this alone.”
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It’s likely at least one of these pictures has been generated with AI. The top-right image of Mr Farage in bed in one of the versions on Facebook includes a diamond shape, the watermark for Gemini, Google’s AI chatbot, and a reverse image search also says it was “Made with GoogleAI”.
The other main image which appears to show Mr Farage sat up in bed in a hospital gown has previously also appeared with the faces of other celebrities and politicians such as former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, alongside similar claims they are recovering in hospital. It’s likely this image has been edited to include Mr Farage’s face, although we have not been able to confirm whether the entire image is AI-generated.
Mr Farage did undergo back surgery in 2013 to treat injuries he sustained in an air crash in May 2010, which he also spoke publicly about receiving non-surgical treatment for in 2015 .
We often fact check fake and AI-generated images and videos of politicians and public figures circulating on social media. Before sharing content like this, first consider whether it comes from a trustworthy and verifiable source. Our Full Fact toolkit and guides can help you do this.
This article is part of our work fact checking potentially false pictures, videos and stories on Facebook. You can read more about this—and find out how to report Facebook content—here. For the purposes of that scheme, we’ve rated this claim as false because these pictures aren’t real, and Nigel Farage hasn’t recently undergone surgery.
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