Greg James apologises for ‘disgusting’ video about new Roald Dahl book | UK | News

Radio presenter Greg James has apologised following a backlash over negative representations of disability in a promotional video for a new version of Roald Dahl book The Twits.

In the now-removed video, James and Chris Smith reportedly discuss how to make the characters more revolting before James tells the illustrator to give a character a glass eye to make her « more disgusting ».

After it was posted online, a spokesperson for the Royal National Institute Of Blind People (RNIB) responded to say « there is nothing at all revolting about prosthetic eyes. »

Elsewhere, the chief executive of national disability charity Sense, Richard Kramer, said it was wrong for a video to be promoting a « negative representation of disability ».

In a post to his social media, James apologised and said: « Hello! Regarding our new Twits story announcement video from this morning: »

« We are so sorry to have caused offence with the launch video. »

« It was absolutely not our intention. And we apologise unreservedly. It’s now gone. »

« We understand that words matter and we pride ourselves on championing and welcoming everyone into the magical world of children’s books. »

« We would never dream of deliberately setting out to exclude anyone. »

« With the glass eye comment, we were attempting to pay homage to one of the Twit’s most famous pranks involving a glass of beer in order to remind people of Dahl’s infamous terrible two. »

« It’s in no way a suggestion that this forms any part of the plot of the new story nor was it our intention to suggest that it was in any way disgusting. »

« It’s unfortunate that the word disgusting appears to be a direct comment on that. That’s an error on our part. »

« We are devastated that it’s come across like this but completely understand why there is anger. »

James said it was right for the video to be called out and said they were « upset » about the mistake, but are « still incredibly proud of this book ».

Mr Kramer said: « The video advertisement for The Twits Next Door, promoted on social media today, is totally unacceptable and has rightly been removed by Puffin Books. »

« We remain concerned however that the book, scheduled for release later in the year, will contain a character with a disability to show, in the words of the video, how ‘disgusting’ they are. »

« It’s 2024 and to be promoting such a negative representation of disability is wrong. Disability is not a character flaw. »

« Why would we want children to associate a glass eye, or any prosthetic, with being disgusting? What will children learn from that? How will that make disabled readers feel? »

In a post to X, the RNIB said: « When there’s positive representation of disabilities in children’s books, children with disabilities feel seen and heard, and their friends and classmates treat everyone the same. »

« There is nothing at all revolting about prosthetic eyes, we think they’re brilliant. »

Puffin Books and the Roald Dahl Company have been approached for comment.