The creator of Father Ted, Graham Linehan, has sparked a storm online after claiming he was arrested by armed police at Heathrow Airport over three of his tweets. The 57-year-old Irish comedy writer, who has won five BAFTA awards, shared the story in an email to followers of his Substack, describing the incident as "surreal" and shocking.
Linehan shared, "The moment I stepped off the plane at Heathrow, five armed police officers were waiting. Not one, not two, five." He claimed he was detained as soon as he arrived from Arizona on Monday, September 1 and was taken to a private area where officers informed him he was under arrest for three tweets.
He said he initially laughed in disbelief: "Don't tell me! You've been sent by trans activists." He added that the officers remained professional throughout the ordeal and even "perp-walked through the airport like a terrorist".
Due to stress, Linehan said his blood pressure increased. He explained, "Eventually a nurse came to check on me and found my blood pressure was over 200, stroke territory. The stress of being arrested for jokes was literally threatening my life! So I was escorted to A&E, where I write this now after spending about eight hours under observation."
He revealed spending about eight hours under observation. | Credit: Graham Linehan
He has now been bailed until October and has been ordered not to post on X, formerly known as Twitter, as part of his conditions.
Linehan shared details of his tweets, including one from April 20, which read: "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."
Another tweet showed a trans demonstration with the caption: "A photo you can smell."
The third read: "I hate them. Misogynists and homophobes. F*** em."
Linehan also shared details of his tweets. | Credit: Graham Linehan/X
But Linehan's story isn't just about laughs. After surviving cancer in 2018, he published his memoir Tough Crowd: How I Made and Lost a Career in Comedy in 2023, a candid account that hit number ten on the Sunday Times bestseller list.
In recent years, he's also known as an outspoken critic of the trans-rights movement, a stance he says has cost him friendships, career opportunities, and even strained his marriage.
In a conversation with The Times, Linehan revealed that his marriage ended after his wife was "targeted" online because of his tweets. According to him, her home address was shared by furious social media users. Linehan recalled, "She was scared. She was justifiably scared. They started to target her. They started to target her family. It just got too much for her."
He has long criticized the trans-rights movement online. | Credit: PA
In May 2025, Linehan appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court to deny charges related to the alleged harassment of trans activist Sophia Brooks and damage to her mobile phone in October 2024. Court documents reportedly stated that Linehan was accused of posting abusive comments about Brooks on social media between October 11 and October 27 and of causing damage to her phone, reportedly valued at £369, during a conference. According to the Mirror's report pleaded not guilty to the alleged hate crime charges.
However, he has long criticized the trans-rights movement online, attracting both supporters and heavy backlash.