British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has apologised and withdrawn a children's book he wrote after it was criticised for causing offence to Indigenous Australians.
The Australian sub-plot in Oliver's fantasy novel Billy and the Epic Escape was criticised for being damaging and disrespectful, The Guardian reported on Saturday.
It said the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (NATSIEC) had criticised the book, for contributing to the "erasure, trivialisation, and stereotyping of First Nations peoples and experiences".
The book includes a plotline in which a First Nations girl living in foster care near Alice Springs is abducted by the book's villain.
In a statement, Oliver, 49, said: "I am devastated to have caused offence and apologise wholeheartedly.
"It was never my intention to misinterpret this deeply painful issue. Together with my publishers we have decided to withdraw the book from sale."
Oliver and Penguin Random House UK conceded that no consultation with any Indigenous organisation, community or individual took place before the book was published.
A spokesperson for publisher Penguin Random House said: "Our mission at Penguin Random House UK is to make books for everyone and with that commitment comes a deep sense of responsibility.
"It is clear that our publishing standards fell short on this occasion, and we must learn from that and take decisive action.
"With that in mind, we have agreed with our author, Jamie Oliver, that we will be withdrawing the book from sale."
Celebrity cook Oliver rose to prominence in the late 1990s, becoming known as the Naked Chef after his 1999 book and TV series of the same name.
Since then, he has hosted multiple TV series. He released his first children's book last year.
