{"id":152591,"date":"2025-10-30T03:12:15","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T03:12:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/152591\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T03:12:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T03:12:15","slug":"jimmy-carr-criticised-for-supporting-graham-linehan-on-anti-trans-tweets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/152591\/","title":{"rendered":"Jimmy Carr criticised for supporting Graham Linehan on anti-trans tweets"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jimmy Carr<\/a> has sparked criticism after showing support for Graham Linehan following the latter\u2019s anti-trans social media comments.<\/p>\n

Linehan, who co-created Father Ted <\/a>and The IT Crowd, made headlines last month when he was arrested at Heathrow Airport on suspicion of inciting violence in relation to his posts on social media.<\/a><\/p>\n

While the Met Police did not confirm the identity of the person arrested, they added that after being taken into custody, officers had become concerned for his well-being and he was taken to the hospital. His condition was said to be neither life-threatening nor life-changing, and he was later bailed pending further investigation.<\/p>\n

Writing on Substack<\/a>, Linehan shared details of his arrest and claimed that he had been \u201carrested at an airport like a terrorist\u201d (via The Independent<\/a>). He then added that he was questioned by the police over posts made on X\/Twitter in April, relating to him challenging a \u201ctrans-identified male\u201d in a \u201cfemale-only space\u201d.<\/p>\n

Now, comedian and TV host Carr has voiced support for Linehan while in the US.<\/p>\n

The moment took place on stage in Minnesota as part of Jimmy Carr\u2019s Laughs Funny Tour. Carr asked audience members to submit questions \u2013 one of which was: \u201cWelcome to Minnesota, Jimmy. Do you have any good jokes that would get you arrested at Heathrow?\u201d<\/p>\n

Responding, Carr said: \u201cYeah! Graham Linehan\u2026 I fucking love Graham. Because whether you agree with Graham or J.K. Rowling<\/a> or not, you have to admit the thing that\u2019s in short supply in our society is bravery\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

“You’ve got The First Amendment\u2026Cherish it.” <\/p>\n

US tour tickets: https:\/\/t.co\/skAotZV3eG<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/QxwcfcNXzy<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jimmy Carr (@jimmycarr) October 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He continued: \u201cHe lost his family, he lost his career, he lost everything. And then he was getting fucking arrested at the airport. Fucking madness\u2026 You\u2019ve got the First Amendment. Fucking cherish it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Linehan has said that Carr went to visit him in the midst of him \u201cbeing cancelled\u201d and attempting to \u201csave\u201d his marriage and career (as per Daily Mail<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Responding to Carr\u2019s backing of the Father Ted creator, some on social media have criticised the 8 Out Of 10 Cats host.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s brave about ongoing, targeted harassment of the entirety of a vulnerable minority group,\u201d one person wrote in response to Carr sharing a clip from the show online. \u201cHe was arrested for HARRASSMENT, not for his \u2018opinion\u2019,\u201d another added. \u201cIt\u2019s a criminal charge. Aren\u2019t you Cambridge-educated?\u201d<\/p>\n

A third responded: \u201cSo brave being a bully.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

What\u2019s brave about ongoing, targeted harassment of the entirety of a vulnerable minority group?<\/p>\n

\u2014 Jamie (@JamieCutteridge) October 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

He was arrested for HARRASSMENT, not for his “opinion.” How low can one be shifting the narrative \u2013 hang on; LYING like a true SOB?
Again, he was arrested for harrassment. It’s a criminal charge. Aren’t you Cambridge-educated? I’d assume you possess *some* comprehensive skills.<\/p>\n

\u2014 CatEyedBlues (@CallMeCatFlake) October 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

So brave being a bully. pic.twitter.com\/pkeyFgyW6n<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 stephen mc everton (@goodison2) October 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Linehan himself also took to X to share a response to the comedian\u2019s on stage comments, thanking him for backing him up.<\/p>\n

\u201cDelighted that Jimmy Carr has shown support,\u201d he wrote. \u201cI couldn\u2019t expect him to defend me earlier because the same people who came after me were constantly trying to cancel him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey nearly succeeded a number of times so I certainly didn\u2019t want his career on my conscience.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Delighted that Jimmy Carr has shown support. I hope it’s now safe to say that he alone visited me when I was being cancelled and trying desperately to save my marriage and career. He wasn’t even a close friend, so it was exceptionally kind.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Graham Linehan (@Glinner) October 26, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

I couldn’t expect him to defend me earlier because the same people who came after me were constantly trying to cancel him. They nearly succeeded a number of times so I certainly didn’t want his career on my conscience.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Graham Linehan (@Glinner) October 26, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In his Substack post last month, detailing the arrest at Heathrow, the writer shared: \u201cThe moment I stepped off the plane at Heathrow, five armed police officers were waiting. Not one, not two\u2014five. They escorted me to a private area and told me I was under arrest for three tweets.\u201d<\/p>\n

In response to Linehan\u2019s claim that he was arrested by armed officers, the Met said: \u201cThe arrest was made by officers from the MPS Aviation Unit. It is routine for officers policing airports to carry firearms. These were not drawn or used at any point during the arrest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Linehan went on to add that after he was escorted to a cell, he was escorted to A&E as it was found that his blood pressure was in \u201cstroke territory\u201d because \u201cthe stress of being arrested for jokes was literally threatening my life\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Telegraph<\/a> reports that he has since been informed by the Crown Prosecution Service that, after a \u201ccareful review\u201d of his posts online, there will be no further action.<\/p>\n

BBC News<\/a> also shares that Linehan, with the aid of the Free Speech Union, has said that he will be suing the Metropolitan Police for wrongful arrest and a breach of his free speech rights.<\/p>\n

Linehan has made headlines with his anti-transgender views in recent years, being a vocal opponent of concepts including gender self-identification and what he has described as \u201ctrans ideology\u201d. These are rumoured to be behind a Father Ted musical being axed<\/a> in 2022.<\/p>\n

In 2018, Linehan was issued a verbal harassment warning<\/a> by police after he was involved in an online row with a transgender activist.<\/p>\n