As Graham Linehan is cancelled on Edinburgh Fringe, how creator of Father Ted and The IT
Clutching his Emmy Award in his hand, Father Ted and The IT Crowd creator Graham Linehan must have felt on top of the world at 2008’s New York Hilton gala ceremony.
He was responsible for two of Britain’s most popular sitcoms – and even enjoyed a hilarious cameo as an Irish TV executive in one of the best-loved episodes of Alan Partridge.
But 15 years later he cannot even take to the stage at 200-people capacity Leigh Arches in Edinburgh without the appearance being cancelled.
His views on gender – in his own words, that include women deserving single sex spaces and the opinion children should not be ‘mutilated’ – have made him trans activists’ public enemy Number One.
Speaking to MailOnline this morning he warned of a change in the entertainment industry which has led to his pariah status.
He declared: ‘There’s been an ideological coup within the theatre, TV, publishing – a view of the world based about a complete non-belief In biological fact.
Graham Linehan holds the award in the Comedy category for The IT Crowd at the 36th International Emmy Awards November 24, 2008 in New York.
Linehan is best known as the creator of the still hugely popular Father Ted Channel Four series
‘These cultists are going to keep pulling the strings. None of this is based on evidence, it’s completely irrational.
‘Unfortunately they have been allowed to have too much power.
‘When we wrote Father Ted we were making fun of people who believed in people things that were not rational having power over society.
‘Now we have these people controlling comedians. Once again we have a completely irrational belief system.
‘The Catholic Church never tried to stop us telling jokes about them.
‘I have been fighting this for five years.
‘All I have been doing is arguing that women need single-sex spaces, children don’t need medical intervention to be happy and that women deserve fair sports and not be inundated with death threats for standing up against it.’
That Linehan can trace his current difficulties back with such accuracy paints a chilling picture.
He began to share his views with his 800,000 Twitter followers in 2018 and the fury of the Left rained down on him.
Linehan’s views on gender – in his own words, that include women deserving single sex spaces and the opinion children should not be ‘mutilated’ – have made him trans activists’ public enemy Number One
Helen (above), with whom Linehan created the hugely popular comedy series Motherland, was threatened and her address released online. They separated during lockdown
His marriage collapsed and he is frequently attacked online over his opinions, which many agree with.
Speaking to the Mail in 2022 he said: ‘Politicians can’t answer simple questions because these people [trans activists] have persuaded them it’s complicated and difficult. It’s not. All you have to do is stick to the principles we all know: the birds and the bees.
‘People are terrified of getting into the debate, terrified of saying something wrong. If you disagree with them — if you say it denies biology or that it [the right to self-identify] is a gift to sex offenders and conmen who are able to completely erase any mention of who they previously were — they will try to destroy you.
‘I’m not talking about trans people. I’m talking about trans rights activists. They tried to destroy me. They have taken everything from me.
Linehan was set to join a comedy night at the Leith Arches venue (pictured) on Thursday as part of a line up put together by comedian Andrew Doyle
The venue’s latest statement appeared to say the decision was a purely commercial decision
‘They took my family, my ability to earn a living. I haven’t considered suicide but that’s what I believe they want me to do.
‘You know, I’m so cancelled that there were two shows called Cancelled and I wasn’t asked to appear on either of them.’
Linehan has been condemned as a bigot, accused of harassment and Twitter has shut down his account. He has been reported to the police on three occasions.
He says that his then wife of 18 years, Helen, with whom he created the hugely popular comedy series Motherland, was threatened and her address released online. They separated during lockdown.
Earlier this year it was revealed he was considering taking legal action against Apple TV after he was branded ‘anti-transgender’.
The streaming service made the claim in a short biography provided in the cast and crew section of the parent-themed series.
Information is ordinarily limited to their other shows, the Apple TV entry for Linehan describes him as not only ‘an Irish television writer’ but also an ‘anti-transgender activist’.
It states he became involved in ‘anti-transgender activism’ after an episode of another sitcom he wrote, The IT Crowd, was criticised as ‘transphobic’.
But whatever happens, the show will still go on.
While Leith Arches may have banned him, a secret new venue will instead host the night tomorrow.