Jamie Oliver has pulled his children’s book from sale, following criticism by First Nations community leaders that his children’s book is offensive and harmful.
The Guardian newspaper reports that it had been notified Sunday by Oliver’s publishers Penguin Random House UK that it had withdrawn Billy and the Epic Escape from sale in all countries where it holds rights, including the UK and Australia.
This came after First Nations Australians called for the TV chef to withdraw his children’s book, saying it included a “damaging stereotype of First Nations people and experiences.”
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The Guardian newspaper yesterday reported that the book’s subplot has a young First Nations girl living in foster care in an indigenous community near Alice Springs who is stolen by the book’s villain.
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (Natsiec) called the story “damaging, disrespectful, accusing Oliver of contributing to the “erasure, trivialisation, and stereotyping of First Nations peoples and experiences.”
The Guardian reports that Oliver has now issued a second statement: “I am devastated to have caused offence and apologise wholeheartedly.
“It was never my intention to misinterpret this deeply painful issue. Together with my publishers we have decided to withdraw the book from sale.”
And his publishers said: “We have agreed with author, Jamie Oliver, that we will be withdrawing the book from sale.”
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