Avril Lavigne responds to bizarre conspiracy theory she died 20 years ago and was replaced by body double

Avril Lavigne has responded to a bizarre fan theory that she died 21 years ago and was replaced by a body double.

Rumours have circulated for more than two decades that the Canadian singer, 39, passed away in 2003 shortly after the release of her debut album, Let Go, and was subsequently replaced by a doppelgänger named Melissa Vandella.

The wild conspiracy theory was even the subject of recent BBC Sounds podcast Who Replaced Avril Lavigne?

Now, the Complicated hit-maker has had her say on the matter and thankfully, she can see the funny side.

“I mean, it’s just funny to me,” Lavigne said while appearing on the latest episode of Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast.

“Like, on one end, everyone’s like, ‘You look the exact same. You haven’t aged a day.’ But then other people are like, there’s a conspiracy theory that I’m not me.

“Honestly, it’s not that bad. It could be worse, right?” Lavigne admitted. “I feel like I got a good one. I don’t feel like it’s negative. It’s nothing creepy.

“Obviously I am me, it’s so dumb,” she said, before adding: “I think that they’ve done that with other artists. I’m not the only one. I think, like, other people have that.”

Cooper then told Lavigne: “I’m telling you what’s crazy is you haven’t aged. I’m staring at you. And, like, I’m picturing you with your auburn hair. And I’m like, oh my God. You literally look the same from when you were younger.”

The punk princess has plenty more important things to keep her pre-occupied, including the upcoming release of a 20-track Greatest Hits album.

And in addition to a world tour, she’s also set to perform at Glastonbury for the first time next month.