Eddie Murphy is the latest celebrity to have their death reported on Twitter, with the 'Trading Places' star apparently losing control of his snowboard and crashing into a tree. The micro-blogging site went into overdrive on Wednesday evening (July 11, 2012) after a rumor that Murphy had suffered fatal injuries in the collision began to circulate.

Of course, the Hollywood star is alive and well, and probably hasn't even been near the ski slopes. We're guessing the hoax is probably linked to a story by Global Associated News in February 2012, who claimed Eddie Murphy was vacationing in Zermatt, Switzerland with his family, smashed into a tree - you guessed it - while snowboarding. On that occasion, Murphy was apparently airlifted to a nearby hospital but was pronounced 'dead' on arrival. Of course, none of that actually happened, though it hasn't stopped the pranksters starting another Murphy hoax. Deaths rumors are becoming commonplace in the Twitter generation, with the likes of Paul MCcartney, Adam Sandler, Robin Williams, Hugh Hefner, Usher and Vanilla Ice all victims of a hoax in recent months.

It's a good job that Murphy is alive and well, given that he's signed up for a sequel to Danny Devito and Arnold Schwarzenegger's comedy movie 'Twins'. He will make up a bizarre set of triplets, being reunited with his brothers.