Graham Linehan blasts 'discrimination' after axing of Fringe show

Graham Linehan blasts arts venue for ‘discrimination’ after axing his Edinburgh Fringe show ‘over his stance on gender issues’ – as Joanna Cherry tells the comedian he has a ‘pretty clear case’

• Graham Linehan’s axed show, Comedy Unleashed, platform ‘unwoke’ comics 

Father Ted creator Graham Linehan has blasted an Edinburgh comedy club and accused the venue of ‘discrimination’ after a Fringe show featuring him on the line up was axed due to his stance on gender issues. 

Mr Linehan was set to join a comedy night at the Leith Arches venue on Thursday as part of a line up put together by comedian Andrew Doyle.

However after some pressure, the venue announced they had axed the sold out gig – insisting that they would not allow the scriptwriter’s views to ‘violate’ their space.

Reacting to the news on Twitter, Mr Linehan blasted the venue stressing there was ‘no explanation as to what views the Leith Arches find offensive and that as a result the axing sounded ‘like discrimination on the grounds of my legally protected beliefs.’

Mr Linehan’s allegations of discrimination were backed up by SNP MP for Edinburgh South West, Joanna Cherry – herself no stranger to gender based cancellation. 

A show featuring Father Ted creator Graham Linehan was axed by a comedy club at the Edinburgh Fringe over his stance on gender issues

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

After complaints were made to bosses at the club, they axed the sold out gig – insisting that they would not allow the scriptwriter’s views to ‘violate’ their space

SNP MP for Edinburgh South West, Joanna Cherry – herself no stranger to gender based cancellation – has come out in support of Linehan 

Ms Cherry’s own Fringe event ‘In Conversation with Joanna Cherry’ had initially been cancelled by the Stand venue after pressure from activists over her gender critical views. 

After seeking legal advice and fighting her corner, Ms Cherry’s show was reinstated and performed earlier this month.  

READ MORE: Joanna Cherry rails against cancel culture at Edinburgh Festival as SNP MP is flanked by security – but only two trans activists turn up after comedy club tried to cancel her

Reacting to the news of Mr Linehan’s dismissal, Ms Cherry tweeted: ‘Looks like a pretty clear case of belief discrimination.’ 

She told the Mail: ‘This looks like a pretty clear case of unlawful discrimination because of a belief. I hope the legal opinion I secured when I took successful action against my own unlawful discrimination will be of assistance. 

‘It’s available to anyone on my website for that reason. But really those in positions of political and cultural leadership need to take a stand against this sort of thing otherwise Edinburgh – the home of the enlightenment – is in danger of becoming an unlawful discrimination and anti free speech hot spot.’ 

Mr Linehan had been set to join a comedy night at the Leith Arches venue on Thursday as part of a line up put together by comedian Andrew Doyle.

The show, Comedy Unleashed, platforms ‘unwoke’ comics and would have seen Mr Linehan joined by three other performers.

But after complaints were made to bosses at the club, they axed the sold out gig – insisting that they would not allow the scriptwriter’s views to ‘violate’ their space.

Mr Linehan, 55, catapulted to fame in 1995 for creating Father Ted (pictured). He then went on to pen Black Books and The IT Crowd

Mr Linehan had previously been accused of holding transphobic views and received a warning from West Yorkshire police in 2018 after a Twitter row with transgender activist Stephanie Hayden, who claimed the comedy writer had ‘deadnamed’ her and used incorrect pronouns

Mr Doyle last night accused the venue of censoring comedy and dictating people’s choices.

He told the Daily Mail: ‘A handful of authoritarian activists are deciding what people can watch.

‘The Edinburgh Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world but is saying that one of the most foremost comedy writers cannot perform there.’

‘They say they’re an inclusive venue but you’re not allowed in for your views. We did not expect this, it is very surprising.’

In a social media post, the venue said: ‘We would like to thank the public for bringing to our attention, about a comedian who has been booked for an upcoming comedy show at our venue this Thursday, which we were not made aware of until today, via emails from rightly-so outraged members of our community.

‘We do not support this comedian, or his views, and he will not be allowed to perform at our venue and is cancelled from this Thursday’s comedy show with immediate effect.

‘An outside organiser was responsible for the line up and we were unaware as to who was performing until now.

‘We are an inclusive venue and will not allow such views to violate our space.’

Mr Linehan, 55, catapulted to fame in 1995 for creating Father Ted. He then went on to pen Black Books and The IT Crowd.

However, he has more recently become known for standing up to transgender activists – something which led him to be banned from Twitter until new owner Elon Musk lifted his ban earlier this year.

He was booted off of the social media site after tweeting ‘men aren’t women tho’ after the Women’s Institute sent a Happy Pride message to its transgender members.

Mr Linehan had previously been accused of holding transphobic views and received a warning from West Yorkshire police in 2018 after a Twitter row with transgender activist Stephanie Hayden, who claimed the comedy writer had ‘deadnamed’ her and used incorrect pronouns.

Mr Doyle set up Comedy Unleashed as a platform for comedians who had been cancelled for sharing their unwoke views.

He has vowed to find another venue in Edinburgh for Mr Linehan and his fellow comic Alistair Williams, Mary Bourke and Dominic Frisby to perform at.

James Esses, co-founder of Thoughtful Therapists, an organisation concerned about the impact of gender identity ideology on children and young people, also hit out at the decision by Leith Arches.

He wrote: ‘The fact that people can be cancelled for holding beliefs grounded in biological reality tells us just how twisted society has become.’

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