As part of the publicity for "Matilda the Musical", Lucy Dahl, the daughter of the author Roald Dahl, was interviewed about her father's books. She discussed "The Witches" at length, citing The Grand High Witch was inspired by her stepmother. Her stepmother's personality was not the factor, but it was her social status and look. Lucy also seriously stated she was not entirely sure witches were fiction, saying, "There's this older lady, a neighbor. If witches are real, she's one of them."