EXCLUSIVE: The UK public was stunned when The Observer newspaper published allegations that cast doubt over the veracity of The Salt Path, the hit nature book that had just been turned into a movie starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs.
Now, Sky is getting in on the act with a fast-turnaround documentary exploring the twists and turns of The Salt Path saga and that of its author Raynor Winn, which it is making with The Observer.
The Real Salt Path [working title] will be hosted by journalist Chloe Hadjimatheou, whose investigation into The Salt Path is still ongoing. Sky said “new whistleblowers come forward with their own versions of events” in the doc and it will address the behavior of Raynor Winn and her husband Moth.
Hadjimatheou’s initial Observer investigation alleged that Raynor Winn, whose real name was revealed to be Sally Walker, was arrested after being accused of stealing tens of thousands of pounds from her employer, while it cast doubt over her saying she was previously homeless and over her husband’s corticobasal degeneration (CBD).
A number of follow-up Observer articles have been published since while Raynor Winn has hit back, accusing Hadjimatheou and The Observer of being “grotesquely unfair, highly misleading and seeking to systematically pick apart my life.” Winn also provided excerpts from her husband’s clinic letters proving that he was being treated for CBD. This all came amid the backdrop of The Salt Path movie performing well at the box office.
The Real Salt Path will dig further into a novel that was previously a national obsession, proving to be a hugely popular read about one couple’s against-all-odds journey on a coastal path. It comes from Candour Productions – the BAFTA-winning outfit behind Libby, Are You Home Yet? – along with The Observer.
“This film brings together world-class journalism and filmmaking to explore one of Britain’s most remarkable modern-day literary phenomena — and the truth that lies beneath it,” said Hayley Reynolds, Acting Director of Sky Documentaries. “At Sky Documentaries, we’re always drawn to stories that challenge perceptions and ask difficult questions, so there couldn’t be a better opportunity for us to partner with The Observer and reunite with the award-winning team behind Libby, Are You Home Yet?.”
The doc is the latest example of Britain’s traditional newspapers moving into the TV game. Rupert Murdoch’s News UK is currently co-developing more than a dozen licensed TV projects based on its original journalism, while The Guardian, which used to own The Observer, has a content deal in place with Sony Pictures Entertainment.
The doc will air in December. EP for Candour is Anna Hall. Commissioning editors for Sky are Ziyaad Desai and Kathryn Taylor.
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