- Following her exhausting doctoral journey, Cathy Hummels' book plans face a setback.
A Ruckus over Sebastian Fischer's Ph.D. Title Puts Cathy Hummels' and Südwest-Verlag's Book Project on Hold
Celebrity influencer Cathy Hummels, who openly shared her personal struggle with depression a few years back, had a book project lined up with her brother, medical professional Sebastian Fischer. Titled "Emerging from the Dark - Your Path to Overcoming Depression", the book was initially set to be released. However, an issue concerning Sebastian's Ph.D. title brought the project to a halt.
The respected German Press Agency reported this revelation, citing statements made by Stefan Ventroni, Cathy's legal representative. According to Ventroni, "Cathy Hummels and Sebastian Fischer have decided not to proceed with the planned book jointly." Previously, the 'Bild' newspaper had spread the news as well, but Südwest-Verlag had remained silent on the matter. However, the 'Bild' also reported that the company agreed to cancel their plans.
"Emerging from the Dark - Your Path to Overcoming Depression"
The intended cover of the book, featuring Sebastian Fischer's name with a Ph.D. title, was taken down by the publisher following 'Bild's' report. In a statement released in early July, Südwest-Verlag explained, "Up until recently, we had no reason to suspect that Mr. Fischer had not yet completed his Ph.D." The publisher conducted further investigations and contacted Sebastian Fischer directly. It was then discovered that he did not hold a Ph.D. title at present, and the cover was subsequently removed.
Hummels: "To Me, Doctor and Ph.D. Are the Same"
Cathy Hummels had also referred to her brother as a doctor on her Instagram posts in 2018. Her legal representative clarified in a statement issued earlier in July that this was not an intentional misrepresentation to the public. "Cathy referred to her brother as a doctor on Instagram due to a common misunderstanding that all medical professionals bear the title," the statement read. Cathy explained that her intention was not to deceive anyone but to emphasize Sebastian's profession. "For many, including me, doctor and Ph.D. are identical and merely job titles," she said.
The reason for cancelling the book collaboration with Südwest-Verlag, lawyer Ventroni did not disclose: "Please note that we will not be providing any further details."
The German Press Agency announced the halt of Cathy Hummels and Sebastian Fischer's book project after revealing issues with Sebastian's Ph.D. title. According to The German Press Agency, Ventroni stated that Cathy and Sebastian have decided not to proceed with the book jointly due to Sebastian's Ph.D. situation.
