‘Father Ted’ creator Graham Linehan arrested for social media posts about transgender issues
Graham Linehan, the co-creator of sitcoms such as Father Ted, has been arrested at Heathrow Airport in London for comments he made about transgender issues on social media.
Linehan said he was met by police after getting off a flight from America at the airport on September 1st, and subsequently taken into custody on suspicion of inciting violence in relation to posts geared at transgender people on his X account.
The Irish writer then confirmed in a post on Substack that he was taken to the hospital after concerns were raised over a high blood pressure reading that he provided.
The Metropolitan Police also clarified that a man in his 50s had been sent to hospital but that his condition “is neither life-threatening nor life-changing”. They said Linehan was later bailed “pending further investigation”.
Linehan explained in his separate post that his bail conditions stipulated that he was “not to go on Twitter” – now known as X – as his alleged offences relate to three posts he made on the platform back in April. He said these concerned statements he made regarding him challenging a “trans-identified male” in a “female only space.”
The writer, who is also responsible for writing popular TV shows, the likes of The IT Crowd and Black Boots, claimed that “five armed officers were waiting” to arrest him as soon as he got off his flight at the airport.
However, the Metropolitan Police countered this statement by adding: “The 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.”
Never Miss A Scene
The Far Out Film Newsletter
All the latest film news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.