Earl Spencer slams 'bizarre' censorship of 'famously offensive' Roald Dahl

Charles Spencer has blasted the 'bizarre' decision to revise parts of Roald Dahl's works to make them more 'acceptable' to readers, arguing it risks removing the author's character.

Speaking on news programme Broadcasting House on Radio 4, the brother of the late Princess Diana argued that author Dahl was a 'famously offensive man' as he waded into the row.

Publisher Penguin sparked controversy this week after it emerged they had hired sensitivity writers to remove language which may be offensive to modern day readers.

Penguin said it was making the edits, which included cutting out words describing characters as 'ugly' and making Willy Wonka's Oompa Loompas gender neutral, so the books 'can continue to be enjoyed by all today'.

But a series of authors, politicians and parents have criticised the 'ridiculous' decision, leading Penguin to confirm it will still be publishing the original works as part of its Classics collection.

Earl Spencer was spotted arriving at the BBC Broadcasting House in London on Sunday to discuss Roald Dahl's works on Radio 4

Roald Dahl, who died in 1990, was reportedly an unpleasant and rude man who was vocal in his anti-Semitic views

Talking to BBC Radio 4, Earl Spencer, 58, hit out at those censoring Dahl's books.

He said: 'I find all this quite bizarre because if there is offensive material in Roald Dahl, he was a famously offensive man and so you're cutting out the character of the author.

'The people who are now republishing the vintage version will make a killing actually.'

Dahl, who died in 1990, was reportedly an unpleasant and rude man who was vocal in his anti-Semitic views.

He has also been fiercely criticised over gender and racial stereotypes which appeared in his books, which led to some being rewritten while he was still alive.

Most notably, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was edited in 1974 to remove reference to the Oompa Loompas as 'African pygmies' over allegations of racism.

Dahl fans will still be able to buy unedited versions of the works, as well as the new, more sensitive versions. 

Some of the changes include considerable edits to descriptions of the characters' physical appearance - the new editions no longer use the word 'fat' which has been reportedly cut from every book.

Hundreds of changes have been made to Dahl's books by publisher Penguin to ensure 'all can enjoy' the stories

Mrs Twit's 'fearful ugliness' has been chopped to 'ugliness' and Mrs Hoppy in Esio Trot is not an 'attractive middle-aged lady' but a 'kind middle-aged lady'

Augustus Gloop in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory can now only be described as 'enormous'.

Hundreds of changes were made to the original texts, extinguishing Dahl's colourful and memorable descriptions, some over fifty years old, to make his characters less grotesque.

Mrs Twit's 'fearful ugliness' has been chopped to 'ugliness' and Mrs Hoppy in Esio Trot is not an 'attractive middle-aged lady' but a 'kind middle-aged lady'. 

The reports were met with criticism from authors such as Salman Rushdie, and even Queen Consort Camilla appeared to wade into the row as she told authors to not remain uninfluenced by 'those who may wish to curb the freedom of your expression or impose limits on your imagination.'

Earl Spencer was spotted arriving at the BBC Broadcasting House in London on Sunday after admitting he most likely won't be at King Charles' coronation.

Princess Diana's brother, who lives at Althorp House in Northamptonshire, appeared in good spirits as he arrived to appear on Radio 4 to speak about Roald Dahl. 

Charles, who carried a brown bag, donned a navy suit which he paired with a white shirt. 

King Charles' coronation takes place on May 6 with 'save the date' notices expected to go out to guests this week and official invitations to follow in April

Princess Diana 's brother, 58, who lives at Althorp House in Northamptonshire, appeared in good spirits as he arrived at the TV studios

As well as addressing Roald Dahl, he also hit out at cancel culture on the show: 'Cancel culture is so terrifying for so many people.'

It comes after he recently admitted he probably won't be invited to King Charles' coronation on Jane Garvey and Fi Glover's Times Radio podcast, Off Air.  

Asked about whether he'll be invited to the event, the author responded: 'I wouldn't have thought so, I think it's only about two thousand people going.

'There is some old coronet knocking about here somewhere but I won't be wearing it soon, I don't think'. 

However the uncle of Prince William and Prince Harry didn't seem too bothered about not getting an invitation to the royal event. 

He admitted: 'The whole royal thing… I don't find it as interesting as other people, you know? I just get on with my life… People assume that I care a lot but it's just a side part of my life.' 

King Charles' coronation takes place on May 6 with 'save the date' notices expected to go out to guests this week and official invitations to follow in April.

And while the guest list has been slashed from the 8,000 who attended the late Queen's Coronation in 1953 to 2,000, there is one area the King has expanded. 

The sacred ceremony is intended to be an intimate exchange between the monarch and their people in the presence of God.

But as part of his plan to bring the ceremony up to date, King Charles has decided to move on from the 900-year-old tradition by inviting his crowned friends, including European royals and rulers from Arab states.

It is still uncertain whether Prince Harry will visit for the occasion from his home in California with his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.