14 hours ago
Graham Linehan: JK Rowling failed to defend me over trans backlash
Graham Linehan, the Father Ted creator and women's rights activist, has accused JK Rowling of failing to defend him after a trans backlash damaged his career.
The Irish comedy writer, 57, claimed that Rowling's 'silence' over attacks against him — a Father Ted musical was abandoned after he spoke out on transgender issues — made him feel isolated and added to the view that he was 'toxic'.
Linehan also told The Spiked Podcast that attempts to smear Sandy Peggie, the Fife nurse who claims she was subject to unlawful harassment under the Equality Act when she was expected to share a changing room with Dr Beth Upton, a trans woman, were 'contemptible'.
Linehan, who also wrote The IT Crowd, said he had been defending the rights of women and children for six years and has had to endure abuse and threats throughout that period.
In 2020 he criticised abusive posts about Rowling after she made comments on gender ideology that were described as transphobic. He wrote later: 'Far from being on the wrong side of history, JK Rowling and I have been proved right over and over again that this is a poisonous ideology that is destroying lives.'
In 2022 and 2023, Linehan said that the debate over transgender issues had 'consumed his life', lost him work, made him financially destitute and caused the end of his marriage.
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This week, Linehan accused Rowling of failing to defend his right to free speech over the trans controversy.
She had 'never mentioned me, never said anything in my defence', Linehan said.
'When she got [involved in gender ideology issues], I thought, Oh my God, it's over. I can finally relax, I can finally fight back because someone's on my side, you know?
'And now her silence about me is just added to the feeling that I've done something wrong, that I'm toxic, and I know I am toxic, but it's not because I've done anything wrong.
'It's because people like JK Rowling won't stand up in defence of me. So it wasn't just the [trans rights activist] side pushing me out. It was a feeling of lack of solidarity and the kind of an embarrassment at my presence in the fight.'
In 2023 a comedy show featuring Linehan in Edinburgh was cancelled because of complaints. Leith Arches said it had pulled the gig because the comedian's views did 'not align with our overall values'.
Linehan is due to appear in court in September after pleading not guilty to harassment and criminal damage against a trans woman.
He appeared at Westminster magistrates' court in London in May and denied two charges including one of harassing Sophia Brooks, 18, on social media.
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Peggie's employment tribunal will hear its closing submissions next month.
'I think it might be a case that piques some people because it is so shocking that a nurse doing a tough shift on Christmas Eve can't even go to a changing room in peace without a man being there,' Linehan said.
'I'm so glad that she has taken the fight on because there's a lot of attention on her and on this particular story.'
A spokesman for Rowling declined to comment.
