Dolly Parton faced bizarre rumours during her final days

Dolly Parton spend decades dealing with questions about her famous appearance.

The country music icon, who died at the age of 80 on August 25, 2026, previously recalled hearing a magazine claiming that her breasts were so heavy they had supposedly “broken” her back and left her unable to walk.

Following her death, an insider told Radar Online, "Dolly understood that her exaggerated appearance was part of the character she had created, but that didn't mean she believed every part of her body was public property."

"She found some of the rumors ridiculous and discovered very early that humor was usually the most effective way of shutting them down. She spent her final years battling ridiculous rumors about her b------ – but she always saw the funny side of it all," they added.

Addressing the rumours in 2022, Parton told ET Canada, "Oh, heavens, I've heard everything."

"There was one time (a magazine said) that my b---- were so heavy that they had broken my back down and that I couldn't get up, that I was going to be crippled for the rest of my life," she added. "And I thought, well, they are big, and they are heavy, but I can still get around... I'm doing all right."

In a memorable 1986 interview with Australian reporter Mike Munro, she was repeatedly pressed to reveal her measurements. Parton explained that her measurements changed and joked that she was actually much smaller than people assumed.

Referring to the exchange a source told the outlet, "That exchange was classic Dolly. She could establish a boundary without creating an uncomfortable confrontation."

"She was perfectly capable of discussing cosmetic surgery or joking about her body, but she wanted to decide where the line was," they added.