The arrest of acclaimed Irish comedy writer Graham Linehan at London’s Heathrow Airport last week sent a shiver down the spine of free speech defenders around the globe. His crime? Criticizing “trans” activists and ideology on X.
Linehan, who is the co-creator of the popular 1990s sitcom Father Ted and shows like The IT Crowd, recounted on his Substack that he was detained by five armed police officers as he disembarked a plane from Arizona last Monday. “The moment I stepped off the plane at Heathrow, five armed police officers were waiting. Not one, not two — five,” he wrote. “They escorted me to a private area and told me I was under arrest for three tweets.”
The tweets in question were posted over the course of two days in April. One from April 19 showed a picture of a trans rights rally that he captioned “a photo you can smell.” In a follow-up later that day, he posted, “I hate them. Misogynists and homophobes. F-ck em.” The next day, Linehan posted: “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.”
Linehan was an early advocate for sanity on the issue of radical trans ideology and women’s rights, and, as Megyn explained on Monday’s show, that outspokenness “has come at great cost to him” personally and professionally. “It’s ridiculous how much he has lost just because of his willingness to speak truth on this issue,” she said. “Even now that his freedom is being endangered and still says he will not be silenced.”
On Monday, Linehan joined Megyn for his first on-camera interview since his arrest. They discussed how he came to be a leading voice on this issue, what it meant for his career and family, the state of free speech in the U.K., and more.
The Backstory
Linehan joins Megyn and reveals the harassment he says he has faced from radical transgender activists, the toll his activism has taken on his personal life and career, and more.
The Arrest
Linehan shares new details surrounding his arrest, why he decided to sue the Metropolitan Police over it, his concerns over the backsliding of free speech in the culture, and more.
You can check out Megyn’s full interview with Linehan by tuning in to episode 1,143 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.