Cher dead? Fans confused by Margaret Thatcher’s death news on Twitter

Cher fans were confused yesterday after they misread a Twitter hashtag referring to the death of Margaret Thatcher.

Soon after news broke Margaret Thatcher had passed away from a stroke, critics of the conservative politician started spreading the hashtag #nowthatcherisdead on the micro-blogging site.

But Cher fans misinterpreted the hashtag, reading it as “Now that Cher is dead” rather than “Now Thatcher is dead”.

The singer’s supporters took to Twitter to expressed their grief at the supposed passing of Cher.

Referring to their idol classic hits, they tweeted things like: “If only she COULD turn back time! #NowThatCherIsDead,” and “RIP Cher. At least now we’ll find out about life after love.”

Other fans expressed confusion and concern, tweeting: “Oh my god, Cher died?!? #nowthatcherisdead” and “So sad to hear that Cher is dead. #nowthatcherisdead.”

Some even thought both Cher and Margaret Thatcher had passed.

Cher, 66, who is usually very active on the micro-blogging site and has been known to go off on aggressive rants, kept quiet, which didn’t help shed light on the situation for her followers.

But it wasn’t long before Twitter users including comedian Ricky Gervais got in on the conversation.

Clearing up the confusion, Ricky Gervais tweeted: “Some people are in a frenzy over the hashtag #nowthatchersdead. It’s <<Now Thatcher’s dead>>. Not, <<Now that Cher’s dead>> JustSayin.”

Margaret Thatcher died Monday aged 87 in a luxury suite at the Ritz in London where she had spent months recuperating after an operation.

Baroness Thatcher was Britain’s first and only female prime minister and had many vehement critics.