Rebel Wilson book published in the UK with blacked out text

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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgrwn4gg7xgo

Rebel Wilson book published in the UK with blacked out text

41 minutes ago
Steven McIntosh, Entertainment reporter

The book was released in the US earlier this month but its publication was delayed in the UK
The autobiography of Australian actress Rebel Wilson has been published in the UK - but one contentious section has been redacted.

The publication of Rebel Rising caused a storm in the US earlier this month because of Wilson's allegations against Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen.

The British edition of the book, published on Thursday, has blacked out the text believed to be relating to him.

[...]

It has also been reported the entire chapter relating to Baron Cohen has been redacted in Australia and New Zealand, making the version released in those countries the most censored of any edition of the book.

[...]

[NanaCat]

1. This is weird

I understand why foreign publishers might have a problem with writings that involve real people. Their libel and defamation laws are different, so they could be in serious legal trouble if they print certain things about actual people, especially the moneyed class.

Not sure why they made the provocative choice to redact openly, rather than simply removing the potentially liable text and the local readers none the wiser for it. Maybe they're trying to make a statement about how difficult the libel/defamation laws make their work?