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

Thank you @DisappointedReader, such a good review, I don't think I can watch it yet, if ever. I can't afford to go blowing a gasket right now, I'm supposed to be full of festive cheer, I think if I do watch it, I will wait until blue Monday 19th January 2026, officially the most depressing day of the year.

Hope you remembered to give it a thumbs down rating 👎- I have even though I haven't watched it

I sincerely hope not. Surely it would be too controversial now for individual careers and for the awarding bodies? There would be a giant elephant on the red carpet as well as in the room. Would anyone want to do the publicity now? Much better to let the film sink into the oblivion of the iconic Blockbuster-store-as-was bargain basement shelves.

Taking the deceptions away for just a moment, I don't think it is an award-winning film in general. Much as I also admire GA and JI as actors, I don't think this is their best work either. I would have been a bit disappointed by it - there I go again! - if I'd seen it before the first exposé of 5 months ago.

@ DisappointedFilmgoer!

Surely it’s impossible to be in Oscar contention if it was never distributed in the US?

No idea about UK awards, but while I can imagine someone making an argument that a good performance or film is a good performance or film, regardless of the fact that the film may be based on a story that only purports to be true and which has since emerged as a tissue of lies, I imagine also that no one wants to put something front and centre for an award that’s created such a stink.

Disappointing, obviously, for everyone involved in making the film in good faith. Though it did turn a tidy box office profit in the UK.

Thanks @SlightlyFeckless I meant to mention the specific Oscar problem.

Hwaet! I have finally managed to catch up having spent yesterday on Christmas Prep, some of which consisted of wrapping a fair amount of Angela H merch and slim volumes by our esteemed Poet Laureate. It struck me that "the sniff test" referred to by one of the consultants applies to the arts. We can never be entirely sure and new people deserve their chances, but we can at least make sure we support, where we can, those who make it through undisputed and visible talent which stands by itself (and are not lying liars who lie )

@faffadoodledo thanks for sharing 'The Garden Path' (and thank you Private Eye)

Thanks to all for transcripts too. Reading them, I'm convinced that as part of Salray's modus operandi it was essential for Timoth to be portrayed as unwell to the families they had scammed, although at that point it seemed she was concentrating on his mental health with a vague mention of Parkinsons thrown in. It's exactly like the books, his 'illness' was the USP and vital as a hook to manipulate people.

@Freshsocks thanks. Paddington is much cuter and has more hair (fur) but that made me smile. @BemusingBrandy I'm so glad you are getting there healthwise. I'm on yet another tweak of cardiac meds and feel I have skin in the game of wanting to know exactly what is meant to be wrong with Timoth re that diagnosis, out of interest. Because it's them, the word diagnosis is of course advised.

I do think we have to divorce the film from the books a little bit. A film is, as I've said before, a very different animal and as long as the film didn't win any awards for the scripting (too close to the writing) or give any nods to Sal in any way (as 'excutive producer' or whatever fancy title she gave herself) I wouldn't be quite so incensed with it winning awards as I am with the whole CB prize...

...oh damn and I'd just calmed down after the last time! Now I'm going to have to go for another lie down...

I think TSP film could be the finest cinematic offering since [insert film of choice] and the chances of nomination would be very low. What on Earth would poor GA/JI possibly be able to say about it on the red carpet let alone if it won anything? " Well, as we all now know, it was based on a pack of lies and we were both terribly mislead, like a lot of people, but hey, glad you like the performances"

I suspect they are well practiced at avoiding awkward questions and they would 'do a Sal' and answer an unasked question about the filming. They wouldn't utter a word about the current furore, and they'd just turn the dialogue round to mention the beauty of the landscape or the rigours of the filming schedule.

Snap, both with finally watching and reaction. Consternation doesn't cover my feelings about it. Was impossible to uncouple what i now know and suspend my disbelief. Each scene and dialogue, being based on the book, was utterly unrealistic. Watching good actors act them out knowing they were actually playing fictional characters not real people meant a lot of laughing, head shaking and despair.

That's my son's birthday. I won't tell him it's the most depressing day of the year - he might take it personally.

It's a few days after mine, no one is in the mood for celebrating, don't make him watch the film :)

Haha! Snap @Freshsocks Mine too!

@DisappointedReader I feel your pain. Even while I watched it prior to the exposé I found myself balking at a lot of it because seeing it acted out drew my attention to the fakery that I had glossed over in my mind while reading. I was uncomfortable with the court scene, the bailiffs scene, the explanations to the children, the interludes with other people… nothing to do with acting but the content itself. As soon as the news hit the stands not long after, it made complete sense that all those wooden, clumsy scenes didn’t work. A screenwriter, script writer will do their research and create fiction that is far more based in truth than hers. Some of us accepted her story on the page but on the screen it was like the equivalent of those old fake streets in a vintage Western. The best parts for me were the scenery. The actors played the parts she had created but those parts are not Tim and Sally. Sally still uses the film shots of the actors to represent them.. the irony that the actors are the authentic Raynor and Moth whose reflected characters she can bask in. The best version of herself… but an insult to Gillian Anderson every time she uses her image in order to improve and validate her own.

Mine too! All we all Capricornish on this thread?

So is Raynor 👀

😱🙀😵😵‍💫🫨😲

Mine is early Aquarius, but it’s a rubbish month for a birthday: everyone broke after Christmas, doing dry January, it still feels dark and grey, spring feels a long way off and the holidays are behind you!

Every year I say I’ll just have a birthday in the summer like the queen does, but I never do get around to that, so every year I just suck up having a rubbish, low-key birthday 😭 🎻

At least we can all celebrate each other here with cider and fudge 🍫🎂

Agreed.

Cider and fudge all January then!

I'm a Taurus. We are meant to get on with Capricorns. Generally have but willing to make an exception.

(Married 2 Aquarians which is apparently an astrological disaster, though 😂but you'd need to ask them)

My husband is a Taurus 🤔👀

My youngest’s too!

What a lot of Capricorns, I didn't realise Salray was, how did I miss that? I have one daughter Aquarius and one Taurus, her birthday is all springy :)

her birthday is all springy

In the immortal words of Led Zepplin

It's just a spring clean for the May Queen

@Freshsocks

I didn't realise Salray was, how did I miss that?

I worked it out. She's late December if Im correct, I couldn't find anything more than month but there something on her Insta that suggested after Christmas. His birthday is matter of record, wonder why hers isn't?

When’s his, @TheTimeTravellersNiece ?

Ignore...I quoted wrong post.