Pete Evans dumped by book publisher Pan Macmillan

Controversial celebrity chef Pete Evans has been dumped by one of the biggest international book publishers.

One of the biggest international publishers has dumped controversial celebrity chef Pete Evans and invited bookshop owners to return his books to them.

Pan Macmillan announced via Twitter that they had dumped Evans after he posted a cartoon featuring a butterfly which appeared to have a neo-Nazi symbol on it.

The company, which has published 17 of Evans’ books, said it was “dedicated to improving people’s lives through education about nutritional food and wellness”.

Pan Macmillan has dumped celebrity chef Pete Evans. Picture: Nathan Edwards

“Pan Macmillan does not support the recent posts made by Pete Evans,” the publisher tweeted.

“Pan Macmillan is currently finalising its contractual relationship with Pete Evans and as such will not be entering into any further publishing agreements moving forward.

“If any retailer wishes to return Pete Evans’ books please contact Pan Macmillan.”

In the cartoon posted by Evans, a caterpillar wearing a Trump MAGA hat tells a butterfly, “you’ve changed”. The butterfly, which has the neo-Nazi ‘Black Sun’ symbol on its wing, replies: “you’re supposed to”.

Pete Evans’ Facebook apology.

After captioning the cartoon “an oldie but a goodie” and later deleting it, Evans apologised on Facebook on Monday afternoon to those who “misinterpreted” the cartoon.

“Sincere apologies to anyone who misinterpreted a previous post of a caterpillar and a butterfly having a chat over a drink and perceived that I was promoting hatred,” he wrote.

“I look forward to studying every symbol that have ever existed and research them thoroughly before posting. Hopefully this symbol ❤️resonates deeply into the hearts of ALL!”

Meanwhile, Evans revealed he will push ahead with opening a wellness retreat in the new year that he described as “my baby”.

The former My Kitchen Rules judge, an anti-vaxxer and COVID conspiracy theorist who supports Donald Trump, said his “health clinic” will be operational by February and is situated in the rainforest near Byron Bay.

Pete Evans spruiks a land-sharing community “Nightcap On Minjungbal”.

“We are going to be taking only six people at a time, they are going to be immersive weekends,” he said in a video posted to Facebook. “In that we will have the most wonderful weekends together, a cooking school and wonderful wellness retreat. It is going to be my baby.”

Evans, 47, explained that the facility will start with six one-bedroom cabins.

“We are looking forward to meeting whoever wants to come on the journey with us,” he said. “We will be doing some very interesting stuff there so I hope you can join us. Stay tuned.”

The announcement came after Evans became embroiled in yet another social media controversy with Melbourne GP and medical commentator doctor Vyom Sharma labelling him a “f**king idiot” for claiming the coronavirus didn’t exist.

It is the latest in a long list of outrageous claims. He has claimed COVID-19 to be a hoax to benefit certain industries, mainly the medical business and its offshoots.

Evans has been vocal against the use of face masks and in April was fined more than $25,000 by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) over claiming a ‘Bio Charger’ device had magical coronavirus eradication properties.

Pete Evans opened the Evolve Health Lab in Byron Bay earlier this year. Picture: Nathan Edwards

Celebrity chef Pete Evans is among a group of people who have participated in a Freedom Day rally promotional video. Picture: Supplied via NCA NewsWire

Earlier this year, Evans and wife Nicola Robinson opened the Evolve Health Lab in the industrial precinct of Byron Bay.

They are now seeking to franchise the business and he said three further sites will open in the new year offering treatments including full body cryotherapy, a hyperbaric chamber and red light treatment.

Through the 40 plus minute Facebook video, Evans also promoted a new cookbook, as well as his new website.

He explained why he needed to charge fans to access his content after implementing a pay wall.

“A lot of people still don’t understand why we need to do that,” he said. “For us to be able to produce good quality content that mainstream media isn’t going to fund because they are not going to fund this type of information just yet … we need support from the community so that is why we’ve done what we are doing.”

Originally published as Pete Evans dumped by book publisher Pan Macmillan