JAMIE OLIVER WITHDRAWS CHILDREN’S BOOK AND ISSUES APOLOGY
After facing much criticism for offending First Nation Australians, Jamie Oliver has withdrawn a children’s book.
The TV chef also issued an official apology after the Australian sub-plot in his book Oliver’s Billy And The Epic Escape was criticised for being disrespectful and damaging.
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (Natsiec) said the book contributed to the “erasure, trivialisation, and stereotyping of First Nations peoples and experiences”.
The 49-year-old released a statement saying: “I am devastated to have caused offence and apologise wholeheartedly.”
He added: “It was never my intention to misinterpret this deeply painful issue. Together with my publishers, we have decided to withdraw the book from sale.”
The book’s publisher, Random House also issued a statement.
“It is clear that our publishing standards fell short on this occasion, and we must learn from that and take decisive action.”
Oliver’s first children’s book, Billy And The Giant Adventure, was released last year. The book was a big hit. In a social media post last year, Oliver said he had “carefully chosen the font to make sure the text is as clear as possible” so that dyslexic people like himself wouldn’t find it difficult to read.
Image credit: People