Woman who claims she is Madeleine McCann tells Dr Phil she will take whatever tests are necessary to prove claim

28 March 2023, 08:23 | Updated: 6 April 2023, 12:18

‘I Believe I’m Madeleine McCann’

By Will Taylor

A Polish woman who claims to be Madeleine McCann has said she is willing to complete whatever tests are necessary to show she is the missing girl.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Julia Wendell, 21, appeared on US show Dr Phil on Monday and said she began suspecting she was Madeleine in June last year.

"I believe I am Madeleine McCann," she insisted.

She claimed her mother would change the subject when she brought up her birth, and that her photos and birth certificate were never shown to her.

And she claimed a document in Poland that tracks her health as a child has six blank pages at the start.

Dr Phil talked her through photos Julia claims show similarities to Madeleine, including her suggestion that she laughs similarly to the missing girl in one photo.

He asked about her parents, who maintain they are her biological parents, but Julia said her mother "didn't want to show me any proof".

Julia's claims have not been verified
Julia's claims have not been verified. Picture: Social media

"She says she went to the hospital and gave birth to you," Dr Phil said.

"She said, yes. When I asked her for DNA before this whole situation, when I asked her for some pictures from her pregnancy, some childhood pictures… she refused."

Read more: Woman claiming she is Madeleine McCann threatens to sue mother who raised her in Poland

When Dr Phil pushed her on why she had not sent DNA samples to the Met, she said she had tried to contact police in the UK but had not heard back.

She said nobody listened to her at either the British or Polish embassies so she switched to Instagram to push her claims.

Read more: Madeleine McCann cops set to get £300,000 funding boost but 'eyebrows raised' in time of 'squeezed budgets'

She said she would take whatever tests are needed to prove her claim.

Her claims have been encouraged by Fia Johansson, who has become Julia's spokeswoman. She is a self-titled "medium".

Maddie vanished in 2007
Maddie vanished in 2007. Picture: Handout

Ms Johansson appeared on Dr Phil too, saying while it is not yet possible to say Julia is definitely missing Madeleine, she claimed it is impossible to completely deny it.

She has previously said Julia's family refuse to take their calls on the matter, while Julia's family have said it is "obvious" she is their relative.

Madeleine vanished during a family holiday to Portugal in 2007.

Cops investigating what happened are set to be given another £300,000 to keep the case going.

Kate and Gerry McCann have not commented on Julia's story.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

A deadly fire broke out near an industrial estate in Gateshead.

Fourteen children arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after boy, 14, dies in Gateshead fire

Ukraine hit Russia in a drone attack on Saturday

Ukraine strikes Russian cities in 'mass drone attack' as Zelenskyy rejects Putin's offer of three-day truce

Tammy Harrison, who was "left in awful pain" following surgery by now-suspended children's surgeon

Girl, 12, ‘left in awful pain’ from 'substandard operation' as children's surgeon suspended

The scene of one of the collisions in Rochdale

Horror as car ploughs into child and three others, with woman airlifted to hospital amid fears for her life

Plymouth Argyle FC v Leeds United FC - Sky Bet Championship

Leeds clinch Championship title with injury-time winner - as Coventry and Bristol City reach play-offs

Lorraine Kelly

Lorraine Kelly opens up on secret health battle as she reassures fans ahead of surgery

Coastline of Teignmouth, Devon, England, United Kingdom

Teenager suffers head injuries after being attacked by armed adults in mass brawl on popular beach, as man arrested

Five people were rescued from an alligator infested swamp after their plane made an emergency crash landing in the Amazon.

Moment five people stranded for 36 hours on plane in alligator-infested swamp rescued

Madeleine McCann

Madeleine McCann's parents pay heartfelt tribute to daughter ahead of 22nd birthday, 18 years after disappearance

President Zelenskyy

Zelenskyy rejects Russia's three-day truce as he accuses Putin of 'playing games'

M4 queues build after a collision on Bank Holiday weekend

Bank holiday travel chaos on two major motorways, leaving motorists stranded

Hot meals distributed to Palestinians as Israeli attacks and aid blockade continue

'Nothing can justify this': Gaza warns food will run out in days amid 'brutal' aid blockade, raising fears of 'mass starvation'

Madejski Stadium, Reading, Berkshire, England, UK, GB.

Reading takeover deal agreed with former Wycombe owner Rob Couhig

The supermarket price ranking has been released - where does your favourite shop rank?

Britain’s cheapest supermarket revealed, as weekly prices continue to soar

Labor Party supporters react as national broadcaster ABC projected a win for the party, while votes are still being counted, in the general election at the party's election night event in Sydney on May 3, 2025.

Australian PM Anthony Albanese wins re-election - after he slammed 'divisive' 'American' politics

TV reality star Kirk Medas has died age 33

'Heart is shattered': Reality TV star Kirk Medas, 33, dies as family pays touching tribute to Floribama Shore TV personality