Jamie Oliver's 'Devastated' After Children's Book Pulled From Publication

Jamie Oliverchildren's book Billy and the Epic Escape it was pulled from publication after it was criticized for its portrayal of Aboriginal Australians.

“I'm sorry I caused the offense and I sincerely apologize,” the celebrity chef, 49, said in a statement Monday, November 11, to NBC News. “It was not my intention to misrepresent this very painful story. Together with my publishers, we have decided to withdraw the book from sale.”

The book's publisher, Penguin Random House UK, apologized for its statement, writing, “It is clear that our publishing standards have declined in this event, and we must learn from that and take drastic action.”

According to the BBC, Penguin Random House UK said Oliver asked to consult with Indigenous Australians about the book, but the request was not completed due to “oversight”.

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Originally published in May, Billy and the Epic Escape follows the novel's new hero as he and his friends defend the magical Waterfall Woods from an evil threat. The book features a First Nations Indigenous character named Ruby, who is kidnapped by the story's villain while living in foster care.

According to the BBC, thousands of Aboriginal children were separated from their families by the Australian government during the 20th century as a measure.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (NATSIEC) said: “The interpretation that First Nations families are easily swayed by money and have no regard for the safety of their children perpetuates a racist ideology that has been used to justify the removal of children for over a century,” said the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (NATSIEC). Islander Education Corporation (NATSIEC) in a statement on Monday, via NBC News.

The organization also accused the book of perpetuating superstition by equating First Nation spirituality with superstition and magic. “This denigration is culturally insensitive and dangerous,” the group shared, adding that the novel reinforces “the dangerous belief that Aboriginal people are a group of indigenous people.”

Before the book's publication, NATSIEC called Oliver's novel “a reminder of the responsibility of people in positions—educators, writers, publishers, and all content creators—to ensure that issues related to First Nations are treated with respect” on Sunday, November 10, in a post from – LinkedIn.

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The statement continued: “The issue was not just the book itself, but the entire system that allowed it to reach the bookshelves without meaningful engagement with First Nations communities. “While it is disappointing that First Nations people have had to expose these dangerous images of themselves, NATSIEC is pleased to learn that Oliver appears to be taking steps to remedy the situation.”

Billy and the Epic Escape is a sequel to Oliver's April 2023 book, Billy and the Giant Adventure. Oliver has also published several cookbooks over the years and is currently in Australia promoting his latest, titled Just Jamie.