News about Roald Dahl

PATRICK MARMION: Best-selling children's author and Second World War fighter pilot Roald Dahl is the latest historical figure to be put in the dock of public opinion and held to account for historical racial slurs. The court in question is the Royal Court Theatre in Chelsea, where Dahl is appearing in the shape of John Lithgow - best known as Winston Churchill in The Crown and from the TV series Third Rock From The Sun. Here Mark Rosenblatt's new play examines the fallout from revolting anti-Semitic insinuations Dahl made in 1983 in a review of a book - God Cried - by Tony Clifton and Catherine Leroy, about the bombing of Lebanon the previous year.

On Tuesday, Ned Donovan was nursing his wounds after intervening to apprehend a pickpocket stealing from tourists in the shadow of the Palace of Westminster. Even though Ned, who is married to a Middle Eastern princess, managed to stop the thief, he was set upon by fellow gang members. To Ned's horror, instead of coming to his aid, passers-by filmed the incident on their mobile phones. 'Walking across Westminster Bridge, I saw a man in the act of pickpocketing a female tourist,' he says. 'I grabbed him and stopped him before he could disappear. 'Unfortunately, several of his accomplices appeared and began to punch me, kick me and choke me to get me to release their friend, which I wasn't going to let happen.'

The Mail's TV experts reveal what they're really watching out of the thousands of options on the major streaming platforms. This week's top picks include a jaw-dropping Mount Everest documentary on Netflix , an indie movie starring Challengers' Josh O'Connor and the latest blockbuster on Disney+. Plus don't miss the critically-acclaimed true crime series set in Mexico...

David Reidy (pictured right), from Marton-in-Clevland, Middlesbrough, took to TikTok to share the clip of his 11-year-old daughter Scarlett (pictured left), with the pair often recording comedy videos together. In the clip, he wrongly told Scarlett that it was World Book Day and sent her to school in a humorous costume. Scarlett, who David explained in the comments is a 'an amazing actress', dressed as an Oompa Loompa, which is which is famously known from the popular Roald Dahl film, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Children need to read about 'wretched' things and not be protected from 'offensive' words, best-selling author Daniel Handler (inset top) has said. The Lemony Snicket (right, Jim Carrey as Count Olaf in the 2004 film A Series of Unfortunate Events) writer has hit out at publishers rewriting Roald Dahl's (inset bottom) books to make them more 'inclusive' by removing words such as 'fat'. The 54-year-old said he understands the 'urge' to remove offensive language but condemned the 'tinkering' of the BFG and Witches (left) author's work. The A Series of Unfortunate Events writer said Dahl's work was 'offensive' - and it should be kept this way. Dahl, who sold 300 million copies of his work, wrote children's classics including James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Twits.

Julie Dawn Cole and Paris Themmen will co-narrate the Willy's Candy Spectacular: A Musical Parody' at the Edinburgh Fringe in August. The duo played Veruca Salt and Mike Teavee in the classic 1971 film, which starred Gene Wilder as the wacky ever-lasting gobstopper inventor Willy Wonka. The family favourite, based on Roald Dahl 's 1964 book, tells the story of five schoolchildren who win the chance to tour the magical factory belonging to candy man Wonka after finding golden tickets hidden inside chocolate bars. For some of the child stars it helped propel them into successful showbusiness careers, while others shied away from the limelight in favour of a life as an accountant or vet. With Wonka back in the news today, MailOnline has taken a look at where the stars of the hit film are now.

With rescue dogs Beth and Bluebell firmly in her affections, Queen Camilla has long been known as an animal lover. That fact was evidenced again earlier this year when she pledged that she would not buy any more fur products. So if family members have been unsure what to get the Queen for her 77th birthday tomorrow - they need look no further than animal-themed jewellery. For her recent outing at Wimbledon, the Queen chose a dog brooch from Van Cleef & Arpels. It is one of six brooches that Camilla - who included the names of her rescue dogs on her Coronation Gown - is believed to own from the French jeweller's 'Lucky Animals' collection. The original designs - of a cat, a dog, an owl, a lion and a hedgehog - were launched in 2017 and now the collection comprises 50 different animals and birds. Beyond her Van Cleef & Arpels pieces, Camilla's other animal-themed accessories include horse and jockey (right) and dove (inset top) brooches.

EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Does King Charles really want to force Andrew out of Royal Lodge by cutting off his £4million security and personal allowances? Not according to senior courtiers who remain convinced Charles has no intention of heaping further humiliation on his disgraced brother. Andrew is also believed to have the financial resources to honour his 50-year lease. And because he spent most of the £15million proceeds from the sale of Sunninghill Park on renovations, his home remains in good repair in keeping with the lease's terms. Besides, landlords The Crown Estate, lumbered with empty Frogmore Cottage and Apartment 1 at Kensington Palace, don't want another white elephant in the form of a vacant thirty-room Royal Lodge to maintain.

Anthony Horowitz has waded in on the sensitivity row which saw Roald Dahl's books rewritten to remove 'offensive' language and said he won't have 'people telling me what I have to do'. The 69-year-old best-selling British author was asked by the Ian Fleming estate to write three continuation books of the James Bond books With a Mind to Kill, Trigger Mortis and Forever and a Day. But when asked how he changed his versions to suit a modern audience, the Alex Rider novelist refuted the question and said: 'The first thing I did not do was update it for a modern audience.'

Camilla, 76, met families and medical staff involved with Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity, of which she has been a patron since 2017, at the Royal London Hospital to mark the event on Sunday. Addressing the nurses, she said: 'Thank you for the wonderful work you do.' She also asked them about their roles, how long they had worked for the charity, and their goals, and praised the 'lovely organisation'. Suzannah Goodchild and her foster son, Max, nine, have been supported by Lisa Smith, an epilepsy nurse from the charity.

As depicted in 1970s television hits The Good Life and Reggie Perrin, it is often assumed that the commuter-belt within an hour of London is featureless sprawl: boring suburbia. This is all inaccurate. Each of the following locations has its own distinct character, whether it be Leigh-on-Sea with its harbour views, Banbury with its convenient access to the Cotswolds (at a fraction of the price), or Tunbridge Wells, which is closer to Kent than Bath is to Somerset. Any one of them, be it Bray or Bedford, is different. However, each of these cities is a great place to live; to get a glimpse of what property costs in each area and how long it takes to London by train is a good place to live.

On Wednesday, the Repair Show will be back to BBC One and BBC iPlayer for a new series. During six episodes, Jay Blades and his highly experienced staff of experts return to the barn to complete a whole series of intriguing and heartwarming fixes. A gate that once belonged to author Roald Dahl, as well as two pair of cowboy boots connected to legendary singer Elton John, will also be restored to its former glory.

In our analysts' list of the best movies to watch On Demand right now, we have a slew of thrillers, exciting romances, and comedies. The experts have selected their top 30 films to watch over the Easter weekend, sifting through thousands of choices so you don't have to. To give you the most up-to-date on the latest movie offerings, they've also reviewed recent launches. To find out what to watch this weekend, scroll down to find out what to watch this weekend.

I remember being seven years old and raving Roald Dahl's BFG; it was the first book that ignited not only a passion for reading but not so much for words. There's nothing better than getting lost in a story, and I'd often stay up late at night to squeeze in one more chapter of my new adventure. I like to think that Matilda Wormwood and I would have been great friends. However, when I went to university, I barely had time to read the required textbooks, much less indulge in my favorite pastime. My evenings at home were replaced by a good book, and I often reached for the remote or my phone rather than a book, if I wanted to switch off my brain and let myself slip into a zombie-like trance in front of a screen. I'd often like to re-engage my reading pleasure on holiday, but it would fade as quickly as my tan. When I did manage to pick up a book again, I couldn't concentrate and had to remind myself to re-read paragraph after paragraph because nothing would stick. I knew I had a problem when I couldn't even make it through a full page without getting distracted. According to the most recent research published by Queen's Room Reading, reading a book for just five minutes a day improves your mental stability by 20%. "Just as we always suspected, books are good for us," Queen Camilla said at a recent function at Clarence House, "and now science is proving us correct." She continued to say that just as 10,000 steps and our five-a-day are all recommendations for making us feel our best, and that reading should be included in that. However, getting out of a reading slump isn't straightforward, especially when trying to get out of a reading slump. Last year, I pushed myself to reread reading and was pleased in doing so. See below for a collection of my advice.

Relatives recently told the Mail how her first marriage ended in a slew of controversy and conflicts – her eldest son's eldest son left the family home at 15 after she destroyed his television with a screwdriver. When she fell pregnant, the former mother of another son claimed that Rawle had threatened her unborn child. She second husband Ian (left) had been in a seemingly positive, seven-year relationship with another woman, Margaret Melville, long before Rawle came on and had an affair with him.

After her husband's death at their £800,000 Devon home, she was found guilty of murder. She called her fat and lazy.' On August 21, 2022, Christine Rawle, 70, killed Ian Rawle, 72, by stabbing him in the back with a knife. When she put Viagra in his tea, chilli in his pants, and wiped her bottom with her ties, the couple was likened to Roald Dahl's The Twits. Mr Rawle told his wife of 29 years that she should not open the knife before collapsing and dying from the injury. Rawle denied murdering Ian and said she was innocent of his cruel behavior.

According to the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), the age rating of two James Bond films would have been raised if they were rereleased today due to the representation of violence and sexual assault. During a public consultation, Goldfinger and From Russia With Love, both starring Sir Sean Connery and which were released in the 1960s, were discussed as films audiences believe should be more conservative. The inquiry, which involved 12,000 people from around the United Kingdom, aided in the development of the new BBFC classification guidelines, which were released on Tuesday.

Allowing your children to watch hours of television might not be the right idea for their education. However, scientists claim that it could actually improve their reading skills if you turn on the subtitles. Children aged four to seven are twice as likely to become proficient readers if subtitles were included in the article. Peppa Pig and Bluey cartoons also have a high number of "high frequency words" that can help your child get to their reading. 'I like to think of it as a bit like sneaking vegetables into dinner,' Henry Warren, co-founder of Turn on the Subtitles campagin, said, "I like to think of it as a bit like sneaking vegetables into dinner, but the children aren't concerned, but you know you're doing them the world of good.'

In an enthralling new film, Channel 5 will reveal the bizarre truth behind Willy Wonka immersive experience in Scotland. Willy Wonka: The Scandal That Rocked Britain's On Channel 5 tonight (March 16), the one-off documentary focusing on the tragic incident in Glasgow last month that took over social media, left parents ecstatic, and reduced children to tears. The subparation of Willy's Chocolate Experience event was touted as a magical journey into Roald Dahl's beloved novel, children and families were disillusioned and distraught. On the event's website, the immersive experience fell short of what attendees had hoped for from the moment they entered the bleak warehouse venue, initially billed as "a place where chocolate dreams have become a whimsical world." Entertainment offerings were scant, with a single Oompa Loompa and a tiny bouncy castle reportedly causing nausea among younger visitors who had been allegedly 'traumatized' from a character named The Unknown. So, how did the now infamous Willy Wonka experience 'fail' its paying guests and ultimately become the focus of a Channel 5 documentary?Find out more below

Roald Dahl was interviewed by the editor of the New Statesman one day in August 1983. In a book review that was so intemperate it amounted to anti-Semitism, Willy Wonka's editor started a diatribe against Israel, and the journal wanted to see if he really believed the bigotry of his day. The assumption was that he would return to his extremist views, but the tale might have just a few paragraphs in the forthcoming book. Hence the decision to hand over the assignment to me, the magazine's youngest employee.

Experts have found that they are often sold out to charity shops or left to gather dust in the attic, but your favorite childhood books may well be worth a fortune. A completely working copy of the first edition of The Very Hungry Caterpillar (1969) may sell for more than £12,000, while a first edition of Dr Seuss' book The Cat In The Hat (1957) could be worth £13,300. It comes after a missed proof copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone on sale at Bishton Hall in Staffordshire cost just 13p, after a private UK buyer made the winning bid at Hansons Auctioneers at Bishton Hall. The book, which was bought at a secondhand book store in 1997 as a 'throw in' with a handful of other novels for a total of $40p, misspells JK Rowling's name as 'JA Rowling' on the inside cover and uses the author's full name 'Joanne'.

A husband and his horse trainer wife debated alcohol and dinner before he was stabbed to death, triggering a murder trial comparing them to Roald Dahl characters The Twits. Christine Rawle, 70, (right and inset) shoved a knife between her husband's shoulders as he walked by after they discussed mucking out the horses. The court heard Ian Rawle, 72, (left) followed his wife into a field with the knife still stuck in his back, 'urging her to take it out' before collapsing. At the time of his death in August 2022, the couple were living on separate portions of their Devon farm, and Exeter Crown Court heard that they would be regularly arguing. Rawle, a murderer, was captured on bodyworn film while detained,' telling cops that her husband was "a cruel b****d" who lived in each other's lives.'

The performance, titled Giant, is scheduled shortly before the release of Dahl's 1983 book The Witches, and it will be performed at the Royal Court Theatre in Chelsea, west London. The synopsis reads: 'The Witches are about to appear on the shelves, and Roald Dahl is doing last-minute revisions... but the outrage at his most recent explicitly anti-semitic book will not die down.' It refers to his infamous article in Literary Review, in which he criticizes 'adamant American Jewish bankers' who' completely dominate the major financial institutions.' The essay, a review of a book about Israel's 1982 war with Lebanon, included Jewish people: "Never before in the history of man has a race of people changed from being well-pitied victims to barbaric murderers." He also inquired why Jews destined for death in Nazi death camps during the Holocaust did not fight back. The Royal Court apologised "unreservedly" to the Jewish community in 2022 after naming Hershel Fink, a fictional, devious billionaire, in the production Rare Earth Mettle. According to a theatre review, the 'name and elements of the character's personality could be viewed as an anti-Semitic trope.' Right: John Lithgow, who appeared as Winston Churchill in the first series of Netflix drama The Crown, is a fictional character in the film version.

A court heard that a horse trainer called a friend after stabbing her husband in the back and told her 'he is dead' and said he'went on and on at me.' As he walked past Shannon Rawle, 72, after they bickered over mucking out the horses, she allegedly thrust a knife between her shoulders. The two, who were likened in court to The Twits from Roald Dahl, were living in separate parts of their north Devon farm and were on the verge of divorce at the time of his death on August 21, 2022. Rawle, a murderer, was later seen on police bodyworn footage in tears as she was arrested, telling cops that her husband was'such a cruel b******.' Ally Gilbert, Rawle's 'best friend,' told the jury at Exeter Crown Court today that the defendant had phoned her after the incident to inform her what had happened and complain about her husband's behavior.