Comedian Graham Linehan may have been unfairly arrested because of his gender-critical views, watchdog says

Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan may have been unfairly arrested because of his gender-critical views, a watchdog has found.

The comedy writer was detained and questioned by armed Metropolitan Police officers at Heathrow airport last year over anti-transgender comments he had posted on social media.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has now found the Met’s handling of a complaint lodged by Mr Linehan was ‘not reasonable and proportionate’.

It has ordered Scotland Yard to reinvestigate Mr Linehan’s complaint.

The IOPC has also specifically directed the force to examine whether the writer was discriminated against.

Mr Linehan told the Daily Mail he hoped the case would show how British policing had been ‘corrupted’ by ‘incoherent’ gender ideology.

An IOPC spokesman said: ‘In May 2026, we received an application to review the Met Police’s handling of a complaint by a man, who was arrested in September 2025.

‘The complaint related to the force’s investigation into him and their treatment of him, including an allegation that he was discriminated against due to his gender-critical beliefs.

‘When carrying out a review, our casework team’s role is to decide whether the force’s handling of the complaint was reasonable and proportionate.

‘In October, we found the outcome of the complaint was not reasonable and proportionate and directed the Met to reinvestigate a number of the allegations made.

‘We found that, during the complaint investigation, the force failed to provide satisfactory explanations for the grounds for the man’s arrest and failed to pursue lines of enquiry regarding a complaint about the man’s bail conditions.

‘We also directed them to reinvestigate the allegation that he was discriminated against.’

The spokesman added: ‘The man will have a further right of review to the IOPC should he be dissatisfied with the outcome of the force’s reinvestigation.’

Mr Linehan, 58, who also created the Channel 4 sit-com The IT Crowd, was detained at Heathrow and arrested on suspicion of inciting violence after a complaint by transgender activist and former police officer Lynsay Watson.

One post by Mr Linehan 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 b****.’

It was posted six months before the arrest on X.

The writer suffered dangerously high blood pressure and was admitted to hospital.

He faced no further action after the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was no realistic prospect of a conviction.

Read the full article at the Daily Mail.