Applegate's MS reversal

Comedy · Heat 3.9 / 10 · 3 shows · 13m airtime

Christina Applegate announced on October 20, 2026 that her doctor told her she does not have multiple sclerosis, five years after she went public with the diagnosis and built the podcast Messy around it. She said the re-diagnosis came after she was taken off an infusion and her B cells did not change. Applegate, who has used a cane and wheelchair publicly, said she is back at square one and does not know what she has. The discussion turns on celebrity illness branding and whether the reversal will draw the same coverage as the original diagnosis.

How 3 podcasts covered it

1. The Megyn Kelly Show, 2026-10-20 (1:33:33 to 1:42:36)
   Argues the reversal is a branding story
   Picks up Applegate's announcement that she does not have MS and treats it as a celebrity-branding story, arguing women trade on afflictions for sympathy while men are seen as weak for them. Stays in opinion, with a detour into Joe Manganiello's illness and divorce.
   New angle: Applegate says her B cells did not change when she was taken off the infusion, prompting the re-diagnosis.
2. Juicy Scoop with Heather McDonald, 2026-10-22 (23:21 to 25:18)
   Reports a doctor reversed her MS diagnosis
   Reports Applegate's announcement on her podcast with Jamie-Lynn Sigler that a doctor told her she does not have MS after five years, then wonders how a diagnosis at her level of access could be reversed and floats Lyme disease testing from the comments.
   New angle: Christina Applegate said a doctor told her she does not have multiple sclerosis after five years of believing she did.
3. Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade, 2026-10-26 (32:31 to 34:15)
   Recaps the reversal and sends wishes
   Sends good wishes to Applegate and recaps the reversal - she is not relieved because she does not know what she has. Stays inside the announcement, adding only a memory of her guesting on the show in pain.