In a recent turn of events, prominent anti-trans activist Graham Linehan has found himself facing professional consequences for his contentious remarks about beloved actor David Tennant, best known for his role as Doctor Who. Linehan publicly referred to Tennant as a “groomer” on Twitter due to the actor’s support of the transgender community, as well as his own child, who identifies as non-binary.
Tennant had been openly displaying his support for trans rights by wearing a rainbow badge that bore the message, “you are safe with me,” and a T-shirt advocating for the protection of transgender children. Linehan, the creator of the acclaimed series “The IT Crowd,” has been a vocal critic of the transgender community for several years. His criticism of Tennant escalated when he described Tennant’s T-shirt as “disgusting” and went on to label Tennant and his online supporters as “abusive groomers” for their support of trans children.
During a panel discussion at the Conservative Party Conference on Sunday, Linehan revealed that he had been dropped by his TV agency, Independent Talent, citing David Tennant’s representation by the same agency as a key factor. Linehan humorously commented, “I just lost my TV agent because I criticized David Tennant. I looked at the list of people Independent Talent represented, and David Tennant was at the top, and he’s making slightly more money than me at the moment, so I had to go.”
This development follows a series of setbacks for Linehan, including the cancellation of his comedy show in Edinburgh in August due to his repeated anti-trans campaigning. The venue hosting his show emphasized its commitment to inclusivity and disallowed views that violated its safe space policy. Notably, Linehan has a history of making controversial statements, such as referring to central transgender figures using derogatory language.
In 2021, he faced criticism for joining a dating app for queer women, further fueling tensions within the LGBTQ+ community. These recent events highlight the ongoing debate surrounding the intersection of free speech, activism, and the entertainment industry in the context of LGBTQ+ rights.