Graham Linehan says satire is 'dying' and that he wouldn't be able to make Father Ted today

Graham Linehan has told Sky News helium believes satire is "dying" and that it would beryllium "impossible" to marque his deed shows Father Ted oregon The IT Crowd today.

The drama writer was arrested astatine Heathrow Airport earlier this period implicit societal media posts sharing his views connected trans rights.

Appearing connected Sky News' Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, Linehan said helium is readying to writer the Metropolitan Police implicit his arrest, connected grounds of "false imprisonment", and besides addressed US speech amusement big Jimmy Kimmel being taken disconnected air for comments helium made pursuing the decease of Charlie Kirk.

Speaking astir his ain work, Linehan said: "It would beryllium intolerable to bash a drama similar Father Ted oregon The IT Crowd now. The feeling of a 1000 radical looking implicit your enarthrosis arsenic you constitute would beryllium intolerable, and the 1000 radical looking implicit your enarthrosis are the assorted expected number groups that TV executives deliberation request protecting."

In comedy, everyone should beryllium a target, Linehan said. "It's however you amusement someone's humanity, you amusement that they're not perfect, that they're funny, that they marque mistakes.

"But each these, I person to say, white, mediate people TV executives, they look down connected everybody. So they deliberation that erstwhile you marque a joke, you're punching down. It's intolerable to make drama successful that benignant of atmosphere.

"The lone radical who tin past successful that benignant of ambiance are radical who simply ne'er accidental thing interesting."

'We're going backwards'

Asked if satire is dead, Linehan said it is "dying" - and besides highlighted Chris Morris's "boundary breaking" Brass Eye, different satirical amusement from the 1990s and aboriginal 2000s.

"It is intolerable to ideate it being made now. And truthful we're going backwards. We're not moving forwards, we're going backwards."

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Linehan said helium present lives successful the US arsenic helium could not enactment successful the UK. He was arrested aft landing astatine Heathrow astatine the opening of September.

In 1 of the posts helium says helium was questioned about, Linehan wrote: "If a trans-identified antheral is successful a female-only space, helium is committing a violent, abusive act. Make a scene, telephone the cops and if each other fails, punch him successful the balls."

After his apprehension drew disapproval of the constabulary and authorities from immoderate politicians and supporters, Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said his officers were successful an "impossible position" and should not beryllium "policing toxic civilization wars debates".

Linehan said helium was "surprised" to beryllium arrested implicit "tweets that were mostly harmless".

He continued: "One which was bully safeguarding proposal for immoderate woman. And 2 silly things that I conscionable benignant of you know, conversationally threw online. I ne'er thought that anyone would beryllium truthful offended by them."

Sky News has contacted Met Police for comment.

Linehan was interviewed arsenic different comedians and writers were speaking retired astir Kimmel being taken disconnected aerial successful the US.

Tom Walker, amended known arsenic the ranting fictitious newsreader Jonathan Pie, told Sky News' Daily podcast helium believes the UK has to beryllium "careful" and support escaped speech arsenic statement becomes "more and much toxic" connected some sides of the Atlantic.

"I surely don't deliberation that the Trump medication should beryllium influencing decisions made by TV companies, that's decidedly not on," Linehan said erstwhile asked by Phillips astir the issue.

"But I bash find it rather ironic, oregon I'm not definite what the connection is, that 9 oregon 10 days aft a antheral was changeable done the cervix for virtually trying to talk - you know, the awesome of Charlie Kirk's beingness is the microphone, not lone successful the consciousness that helium utilized it himself, but helium handed it to others and allowed them to marque their points, without interrupting, without being superior oregon arrogant oregon argumentative - and helium was silenced forever.

"So the thought that Jimmy Kimmel is immoderate benignant of leader of escaped code is rather absurd aft that happened."