Gillian Anderson has said she felt “betrayed” by allegations that The Salt Path memoir was fabricated, after spending time with its authors.
An adaptation of Raynor Winn’s 2018 memoir, Anderson’s film was released in the UK last year and told the story of how Winn and her husband, Moth, walked the South West Coast Path after losing their home.
The memoir also recounted how Moth was diagnosed with a neurological condition – however The Observer reported last year that Winn may have misrepresented the events that led to the couple losing their home and that experts had doubts over Moth having corticobasal degeneration. It was also revealed that the couple’s legal names were Sally and Timothy Walker.
'Really disappointing' reports
Winn previously described the Observer's article as "highly misleading" and said the couple had been taking legal advice. Anderson – who plays Winn in the film – said the reports indicating claims were fabricated was “really disappointing”.
“We had been so surprised by its success: 'What, really, this film about two old people going on a walk?'” the Sex Education star, 58, told The Times. “It felt like such a betrayal because we'd spent time with [the Winns].”
She has not heard from the couple since the allegations broke, the outlet reported. Anderson also spoke about the controversy with The Radio Times last week, saying: “It’s very unfortunate. The film was doing really well in the UK – beyond my expectations. I think we were about to sign with Sony Classics for the United States the week when the article came out, so it sucked, and continues to suck.”
“A lot of people were enjoying it, regardless, and it is special in its own right. I hope people are able to experience it as its own entity, separate from what may or may not be true or whatever controversy there is.”
Business investment and medical doubts
In The Salt Path, the couple lose their house due to a bad business investment. But The Observer reported that the couple lost their home after an accusation that Winn had stolen thousands of pounds from her employer.
It also said that it had spoken to medical experts who were sceptical about Moth having CBD, given his lack of acute symptoms and his apparent ability to reverse them.
Winn's response and release delay
In July 2025, Winn posted clinic letters on Instagram addressed to Timothy Walker, which she said showed that “he is treated for CBD/S and has been for many years”.
She wrote: “The last few days have been some of the hardest of my life. Heart breaking accusations that Moth has made up his illness have been made, leaving us devastated.” In a statement on her website, she said that the article was “grotesquely unfair, highly misleading and seeks to systematically pick apart my life”.
The Salt Path was originally set to be released in the US and Canada on May 22 but has been pushed back to September 4.
