Father Ted creator Graham Linehan has said he doesn’t regret any of his social media posts after he was arrested over comments about trans women made online.
The 57-year-old Irish comedian was arrested last week at Heathrow airport by five armed officers on suspicion of inciting violence.
One of the posts on X said: “If a trans-identified male is in a female-only space, he is committing a violent, abusive act. Make a scene, call the cops, and if all else fails, punch him in the balls.”
Speaking to the BBC, Mr Linehan said: “I don’t regret anything I’ve tweeted – sometimes I’ve tweeted a bit more out of anger, because of the frustration that no one’s paying attention to this issue.”
His arrest has sparked backlash from politicians and public figures over policing and free speech, with Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police, calling on the government to “change or clarify” the law.
Recalling his arrest, Mr Linehan said he “realised something was up” when his flight from Arizona landed on 1 September, but no one was allowed to stand up.
“I didn’t expect it to be what it turned out to be. And then they called my name out and I think I immediately knew what was going to happen,” he said.
In a clip published online, Linehan can be heard reacting with disbelief as he is stopped by officers.
He tells one officer: “I’m a f****** comedy writer, I wrote Father Ted. Are you a f****** idiot?… It’s just disgraceful.”
Shortly afterwards, Linehan can be heard saying: “I’m f****** infuriated. You scumbags are working for f****** a***holes who go into women’s toilets.”
He has now said that he will be suing the police for “wrongful arrest and false imprisonment”.
When asked if the tone of his posts could be described as offensive and if he had tried to “lower the temperature a bit”, he said: “I’ve tried several times, but you always get met by a slap in the face.
“So if people come to me in good faith, I will speak back to them in good faith. If people insult me, I will insult them.”
One of his posts included a photograph of a trans-rights protest, with the comment “a photo you can smell”, with a follow-up post saying: “I hate them. Misogynists and homophobes. F*** em.”
He has since said he may never return to the UK, and said that he now found the country “culturally a desert”.
Speaking of the impact of being “cancelled”, he said he was “disgusted” by old colleagues in comedy and theatre who had maintained silence and had not defended him.
“I had my career destroyed, I had my [upcoming Father Ted] musical taken away, I had my marriage taken away. I don't know why people expect me to be all sunshine and roses,” he said.
Separately. Linehan is also facing separate charges of harassing a transgender activist on social media between 11 October and 27 October last year, and a further charge of criminal damage to her mobile phone on 19 October last year. He denies the charges.
The trial was adjourned and will resume on 29 October, with Linehan released on bail.
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