- Following her doctoral whirlwind, Cathy Hummels' book projects face a freeze.
The controversy surrounding Sebastian Fischer's claimed PhD title has led to Cathy Hummels' book project with Südwest-Verlag being put on hold, according to Hummels' lawyer, Stefan Ventroni. Ventroni confirmed that Südwest-Verlag, Hummels, and Fischer have decided not to proceed with their planned book together, after initial reports from Bild newspaper suggested the cancellation of the plans.
Fischer, a doctor brother of influencer Cathy Hummels, had planned a book titled "Out of the Shadows - Your Path Out of Depression" with her. However, Fischer's name was listed with a PhD title on a published book cover, despite not having one.
After Bild reported on this, Südwest-Verlag removed the cover, intended to promote the book's release. The publisher admitted that they had no reason to doubt that Fischer had not completed his dissertation until a few weeks ago. "However, the current media investigation and the publisher's inquiry to Mr. Fischer have clarified that he does not currently hold a PhD title. The publisher has therefore removed the preliminary cover from their systems," the publisher stated.
Cathy Hummels had also referred to her brother as "doctor" on Instagram. However, she clarified in a press statement that she did not intend to deceive anyone by using the title. "I referred to my brother as 'doctor' on Instagram in 2018 because I, like many people, believed that all doctors hold this title. I did not intend to deceive anyone, but simply referred to his profession. For me, 'doctor' and 'PhD' have always been interchangeable terms for a profession," she stated.
Ventroni did not elaborate on what led to the cancellation of the book plans with Südwest-Verlag, simply stating, "Please understand that we will not provide any further details."
Due to the controversy over Sebastian Fischer's claimed PhD title, the publication of Cathy Hummels' book with Top News publisher Südwest-Verlag has been postponed. Fischer's book, originally titled "Out of the Shadows - Your Path Out of Depression," was to be co-written by Hummels, but the controversy surrounding his claimed PhD led to its suspension.
