UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has criticised changes to Roald Dahl books, after the removal of some references to things like characters’ appearance and weight sparked a fierce debate.
Dahl’s estate and publisher said works including The BFG and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory had been updated to be more suitable for modern audiences.
Some said they approved of the changes.
But Mr Sunak’s spokesman said works of fiction should be “preserved and not airbrushed”.
Borrowing a word Dahl invented for playing with language, the PM’s spokesman said: “When it comes to our rich and varied literary heritage, the prime minister agrees with the BFG that we shouldn’t gobblefunk around with words.”
Others to speak out against the changes include author Sir Salman Rushdie.
“Roald Dahl was no angel but this is absurd censorship,” the Midnight’s Children and Satanic Verses writer posted on Twitter. “Puffin Books and the Dahl estate should be ashamed.”
The Roald Dahl Story Company has said any edits to have come from its review process, which has been ongoing since 2020, were “small and carefully considered”. (BBC)