Thread 21 : To feel disappointed - and now disgusted too - after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?

[DisappointedReader]

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The Observer's original exposé: The real Salt Path: how a blockbuster book and film were ...

First thread: To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film? | Mumsnet

Links to threads 2-16, the other 20 Observer articles and videos to date, Raynor Winn/Sally Walker's statement, our timeline and sources can all be accessed in the OP and first few posts of Thread 17: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5403285-thread-17-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Thread 18: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5422393-thread-18-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Thread 19: www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5437058-thread-19-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Thread 20: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5454438-thread-20-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

New posters joining us in the genuine spirit of our civil discourse are welcome. It would be helpful to get the background from at least some of the Observer exposé items before posting.
To all - Please be extremely cautious when it comes to naming or implicating people and addresses not in the public eye or with no direct connection to the story, and around the understandable health speculations, especially where details are unclear or still emerging. Remember, even Hollywood rabbits attract the odd flea. Please do not engage with drive-by scolders and ploppers who seem to have their own agenda and seek to derail. Avoid @'ing and quoting them as - from experience - this will only encourage them back to the threads. Over 5 months we have done amazingly well together for 20 very interesting, very serious and very silly threads so far. I can't be here as much as I'd like so all help with keeping our discussion walking along in our usual reasonable and respectful fashion is very welcome.

Keep to the path. No saltiness. Our Cardboard Mascot Our Simon has had his head stuck back on and is wearing a very fetching tinsel boa. The charabanc is bedecked with fairy lights and very well stocked up. May the seasonal fudge and mulled cider be with you one and all. 🎅🌲🎁❄️🎄

These threads are the gifts that keep on giving:
New:

• Salt Path: A Very British Scandal, available from Monday 15th December Sky Documentaries and NOW TV
• ‘Don’t look for the money. I’ve taken it all’: Salt Path author Raynor Winn’s ‘confession’ that she stole from her family | The Observer

Up and coming:

• Observer Newsroom: The Real Salt Path Story, Thursday 8th January 2026 6.30-7.30pm. More information and to book via this link observer.co.uk/our-events/the-real-salt-path-story
• Podcast series from The Observer's award-winning Investigative Journalist Chloe Hadjimatheou
• BBC Documentary (NB Not involving Our Chloe)

*MNHQ correcting above 'Documentary' to 'Podcast' at request of author

NO POSTS PLEASE UNTIL THREAD 20 IS FULL

I thought this was interesting from the why haven't they done anything - to change their website, respond to any approaches, or anything else - regarding Penguin. It may point strongly to the CEO really setting the ethos - we have highlighted the way the CEO prides himself on being a gambler.

What I noted about Harper Collins was that the CEO left quite quickly without explanation, David Walliams new book was published, and a new, female, CEO was announced - all in October. Many parents must have bought this cosy new, Christmas Eve, story - only to find that Walliams is yet another menace.

I don't know why people are missing the date @SimoArmo, this is the thing that puzzles me.

I am looking at the medical letters, I have them as screenshots on my phone in the right order. I think part of the problem is the medical language, it's not always easy to understand the terminology. But the dates are the easiest thing about them to understand, it's people's fear of questioning someone's health, Salray has written so dramatically about Moths health, yet the medical letters are not corroborating these claims.

These letters do not give the picture of a terminally ill man, far from it. In the last letter dated 2025, the consultant is only giving the video consultation to answer Moth's questions as to whether his recently diagnosed cardiac issues were connected to his prior diagnosis of CBS (whereby the course has been extremely indolent ) the consultant is saying that it is not usually associated with this condition. He seems to me to be trying to cover his back, setting out his response.

He refers to the admirable way that the WWs have been raising awareness of CBD/CBS, he is making it clear that he believes, they are doing so with the caveat, that they emphasize that benefits of physical activity, may not have the same clinical outcome for others, as Moths case is unique. He talks about the impending film, noting, it is a retelling of parts of Mr walker's story.

He then goes on to suggest an annual appointment and a nice finisher, that meantime Tim could come back to him if he had other questions/issues. It's the usual kind of follow up letter after a consultation, other than, the consultation was via video, and it feels like it was as a result of Tim requesting it, though it doesn't explicitly say so. The fact that an annual appointment was suggested for the future schedule of Tim's ongoing care, speaks volumes to me. He is being seen annually so his condition is proressing very slowly, or it would be six monthly. He has no other clinicians mentioned, though physical activity is mentioned, no mention of physiotherapy or speech therapist.

I do admire the fact that they have ditched him @BemusingBrandy, I wish PRH would do the same with Salray.

Thing is Sal has denied everything so far including the ‘don’t come looking for the money’ letter. Innocent until proven guilty perhaps for them (?)

Exactly. Very good points. @SimoArmo I think no one has really noticed/wanted to daw attention as most have been uncomfortable just in case he really is seriously ill. It needed to be a big part of doc IMO.

Not wanting to wish an early demise on either but what happens if he outlives her?

You are a card @PinkPanther57, that would be a turn up for the books :)

Rogues, vagabonds and vagrants: however you classify the homeless, in the summer of 2013 we became two of their number.

We’d both be homeless in five days; then we’d know.
What I didn’t know, what I couldn’t know, was that it wouldn’t take five days for my life to change forever, for everything that kept me stable to turn to quicksand beneath me. It would happen the next day.
We were in a consultant’s room in a hospital in Liverpool.
Raynor Winn, TSP

First appointment with neurologist, 25/06/2015 Raynor Winn, July statement

I have lost track of this grifting couple, but was surprised to see Raynor Winn featuring on Lorraine Candy's and Trish Halpin's Postcards from Midlife podcast. Doesn't everyone know she is dodgy by now?

You are so good at pulling out the relevant parts of what Salray has said, thank you so much, @BemusingBrandy, I really hope your recovery is going well, you and our dear @Uricon2 who I can now only picture as a cute Paddington :)

IMO the only thing that would warrant disassociation would be proof or an admission of inventing a CBS/CBD diagnosis. The rest can be waved away as getting mixed up on dates & a bit of poetic licence perhaps, a family dispute being misrepresented.

Thank you for what you have said - I have a very good memory when something fires me up. If your gracious comment is correct then my recovery is going extremely well ...🤕to 🤓

You seem on top form to me @BemusingBrandy :)

I understand what you mean@PinkPanther57, Salray is never going to admit to any wrong doing, it is going to have to be something outside of them that brings this whole charade to an end. She cannot wave away time, she has certainly had a good go and successfully managed to get away with it so far. That has to change, people need to look at what is written in the medical letters, then compare it to what Salray has written.

That’s entirely possible, of course. I can immediately list 30 people I’ve known personally, family and friends, died from illness before reaching 70, 18 men, 12 women. One woman had a fatal heart attack at 60, the others had cancer, five men died from heart attacks or stroke, one liver failure, the rest cancer. The only person I’ve met with Parkinson’s lived well into his 70s.

I can’t imagine Moth courting the press though, even to spill more beans or embellish the story thus far. I may be proved wrong (and they may yet grow old together and slip into oblivion, wealthy but with memories fading).

Unfortunately it has been a very, very long time coming with Walliams though. Definitely long overdue.

There's still time with Salray.

I think you are right @DisappointedReader, it has to happen, people need to see PRH take action, otherwise it continues to send out the message to many that CHs investigation is some kind of nasty attack, it can't be so bad, her publishers are still supporting her.

I wonder if PRH are going to wait for the final book to come out and THEN cast her off? After all, they've paid for the last book already in advances and it's not going to earn them NO money at all. In fact it will probably earn quite well, at least at first.

So I would guess they'll bring OWH out, let it reach its maximum chart position (which usually happens not long after release) and THEN quietly announce that sadly and with deepest regret they will not be publishing anything further by Raynor Winn, who is leaving her writing career to devote her time to caring for her husband.

Any bets?

I think you could be right @Vroomfondleswaistcoat, PRH seem so morally bankrupt, that despite having earned vast amounts of money from this author, and even though she is embroiled in a scandal, they haven't dropped her, they don't want to pass up the chance to make a few more bob.

I would place a bet with you @Vroomfondleswaistcoat, but I don't think you would offer me very favourable odds :)

That sounds about right. If Sally has the confidence to so airily say “nothing has changed”, then I can only imagine that they’ve had meetings about this and lawyers have been involved nit-picking over contracts. Her most recent statement seems to steer clear of attacking and accusing her readership, her public and I think she’s been advised to make that statement devoid of it because protesting too much just confirms that you’re a dirty liar. Instead she thanks the imaginary majority who stand behind her in her land of make-believe and have sent letters of support or emails to the vague vicinity of the Manor House they live in or the anonymous sounding address.
Anyway, as you say they’re not finished with her yet, so best to carry on with business as usual. When they do drop her, I hope they address the reasons why properly.

On the subject of David Walliams…. About bloody time!! 👏🏻

Well put @HatStickBoots, I seem to recall you saying that if all of this was true, you would eat your hat, stick and boots, well you don't have to do that, because whatever PRH, or anyone else who are supporting this author want to believe, we are not buying those onions :)

Annoyed OP claxon:

I've finally watched the TSP film - for free! - thanks to taking up a free Amazon Prime delivery trial for a month for a couple of last minute Christmas things not available locally. It was impossible not to see the film through the lens of what we now know and so I found myself feeling irritated throughout, with quite a few occasions of shaking my head and raising my eyebrows. This was particularly so seeing the bailiffs' arrival, the WWWs leeching on the homeless and Jason Isaacs' portrayal of the physical symptoms as taught to him by Moth Winn/Tim Walker. I'm only glad that it didn't cost me anything to watch and that I didn't contribute to the TSP Scamming Industries' ill-gotten gains. I do wonder what all those involved in making the film think and how they now feel in light of the Walker-Wyn-Winns and their many and serious deceptions having been unmasked. Will anyone be brave and principled enough to stick their head above the parapet and speak out? The only winner for me was the Cornwall, Devon and Somerset scenery.

I don't feel entirely comfortable saying it because by nature I am not a name-caller, but it struck me that leeches are exactly what the WWWs are. They leech not just on the homeless but also on the genuinely seriously ill and disabled, on their own vulnerable family members, on their trusting employers and friends, on so many other people, places and causes.

The film is worth watching if you can do so for free and are not too concerned about blowing a gasket.

And not forgetting of course that they leech off genuine authors too.

@DisappointedReader do you think GA or JI will potentially win Oscars or film/them, Baftas etc?

@DisappointedReader Your self sacrifice is noted. I don't think I could bring myself to watch the film, despite having lived and worked in that part of the world for half my life. Pretty scenery is not going to make it up to me for the sheer affrontery of the Walkers.

But I do like GA and JI though.