Jamie Oliver has issued an apology after his children's book, "Billy and the Epic Escape," was swiftly removed from shelves amidst fierce criticism from Indigenous Australians. The renowned chef, now 49, expressed his heartfelt sorrow, stating that he was "utterly devastated to have caused offense." It was revealed that Penguin Random House U.K., the publisher, had decided to withdraw the book following its initial release in May, as confirmed by PEOPLE.
According to the BBC, "Billy and the Epic Escape" is a sequel to Oliver's 2023 release, "Billy and the Giant Adventure." The plot revolves around an Aboriginal girl with mystical powers who lives in foster care and is abducted from her home in central Australia. The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (NATSIEC) severely criticized the book's release, asserting in a statement obtained by NBC News that it "dangerously trivializes the ongoing trauma associated with Australia's brutal history of child removal."
For decades, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were forcibly removed from their families by government agencies and church missions under assimilation policies, earning them the moniker "Stolen Generations." In his own statement, obtained by PEOPLE, Oliver added, "I am deeply sorry for causing offense and offer my sincere apologies." He continued, "It was never my intention to misrepresent this profoundly painful issue. In conjunction with my publishers, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw the book from sale."
Indigenous campaigners, as reported by the Associated Press, believed they should have been consulted prior to the book's publication. A spokesperson for Penguin Random House U.K. issued a statement to PEOPLE, saying, "Our mission at Penguin Random House UK is to create books for everyone, and with that mission comes a profound sense of responsibility. It is evident that our publishing standards fell short on this occasion, and we must learn from this mistake and take decisive action." The company further added, "With that in mind, we have agreed with our author, Jamie Oliver, to withdraw the book from sale."
The BBC reported that Oliver had requested that Indigenous Australians be consulted by the publisher before the book's release, but an "editorial oversight" hindered this process. NATSIEC's Sharon Davis also commented on the book's character, who can communicate with animals and plants and read minds, stating that this portrayal reduces "complex and diverse belief systems" to "magic," as reported by the BBC.
"This trivialization is both culturally insensitive and harmful," the organization emphasized, according to NBC News. Davis further criticized the character's use of vocabulary from the Gamilaraay people of New South Wales and Queensland, saying it showed "complete disregard for the vast differences among First Nations languages, cultures, and practices," as reported by the BBC.
