{"id":477148,"date":"2026-03-15T15:39:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-15T15:39:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/477148\/"},"modified":"2026-03-15T15:39:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-15T15:39:09","slug":"scrubs-star-zach-braff-denies-hes-dating-an-ai-chatbot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/477148\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Scrubs’ star Zach Braff denies he’s dating an AI chatbot"},"content":{"rendered":"

Scrubs<\/a>\u00a0star\u00a0Zach Braff<\/a>\u00a0has been forced to deny\u00a0rumours\u00a0that he is currently dating an AI chatbot.<\/p>\n

The actor and director took to his Instagram Stories to distance himself from the speculation after it was discussed on an episode of the podcast I Need You Guys, hosted by comedians Jenny Slate, Max Silvestri and Gabe Liedman.<\/p>\n

Braff was not directly named on the podcast, but Silvestri said that \u201ca well-known actor\u201d was \u201ccurrently in a romantic relationship with his AI chatbot\u201d,\u00a0going on to describe the actor as \u201cas near A-list as TV can get\u201d.<\/p>\n

Braff\u2019s name did begin to circulate on TikTok, however, causing him to come out to defend himself on social media.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not dating a chatbot,\u201d he wrote. \u201cI\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0believe I have to type these words. It is a storyline in an upcoming\u00a0ep\u00a0of Scrubs.\u00a0Maybe it\u00a0came from that. Not sure. But not me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Scrubs\u2019 star Zach Braff forced to address \u2018weird\u2019 rumors he\u2019s dating an AI chatbot The wild rumor first gained momentum in an episode of Jenny Slate, Max Silvestri and Gabe Liedman’s “I Need You Guys” podcast in December. https:\/\/t.co\/fsPKB4pIrL<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/T8kGY8u5xD<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NahBabyNah (@NahBabyNahNah) March 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

He concluded: \u201cLove, the guy not dating his chatbot. Please update all gossip sites.\u201d<\/p>\n

Braff, who also wrote and directed the 2004 indie film\u00a0Garden State, dated the actor Florence Pugh<\/a>\u00a0from 2019 to 2022, and has also been romantically linked with\u00a0Mandy Moore<\/a>, Drew\u00a0Barrymore\u00a0and Rachel Bilson.<\/p>\n

Scrubs\u00a0is\u00a0back on TV screens after a 16-year absence for an 11th\u00a0season on ABC in the US and\u00a0Disney+<\/a>\u00a0in the\u00a0UK.\u00a0Aseem Batra has returned as showrunner, having overseen the show from seasons six to nine, while Tim Hobert had been\u00a0due to run\u00a0the show alongside Batra, but\u00a0he left production last year due to \u201ccreative differences\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The sitcom\u00a0was created by Bill Lawrence (Ted Lasso<\/a>,\u00a0Shrinking<\/a>), and\u00a0it\u00a0follows\u00a0Braff\u00a0as the loveable doctor J.D.\u00a0who navigates\u00a0life at Sacred Heart Hospital.<\/p>\n

It debuted in 2001 and ran for eight seasons, becoming a ratings hit and winning two Emmys<\/a>. A\u00a0ninth season in 2010\u00a0introduced a new cast of medical interns with Braff in a supporting role, but it proved unpopular with fans,\u00a0many of\u00a0whom\u00a0consider\u00a0it outside of the\u00a0show\u2019s\u00a0canon.<\/p>\n

Despite his enthusiasm to return,\u00a0Braff did admit last year that he felt \u201cexhausted\u201d by the time\u00a0Scrubs\u00a0came to a close.<\/a>\u00a0\u201cWe were starting to repeat jokes.\u00a0Everyone\u2019s\u00a0pretty fried,\u201d he said. \u201cWe would do insane hours that people\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0even do anymore. We\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0really have much of a life outside of it.\u00a0So\u00a0we were just kind of\u00a0fried\u201d.<\/p>\n

Scrubs\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0the only past show returning to the air, with\u00a0NME\u2019s\u00a0list of TV shows to look forward to in 2026<\/a>\u00a0including reboots of both\u00a0Malcolm\u00a0In\u00a0The\u00a0Middle\u00a0and\u00a0Buffy\u00a0The\u00a0Vampire Slayer.<\/p>\n