Graham Linehan falls out with Father Ted’s Ardal O’Hanlon in trans row as comedy writer accuses actor of ‘smearing’ him

Graham Linehan fell out with Ardal O’Hanlon over his transgender views, while the writer accused the Father Ted star of ‘smearing’ him in the press.

The 57-year-old Irish comedy writer accused the actor, who plays Father Dougal McGuire in the Channel 4 comedy, of being the “latest colleague to defame” him.

It comes after Mr O’Hanlon revealed he felt sorry for the author following his arrest and was ‘stunned’ by his stance on transgender issues.

Linehan in September He was greeted by armed police when he landed. Heathrow airport last month Arizona He was detained on suspicion of inciting violence in the United States.

He confirmed in October that he did not face further action through X.

Linehan, who has co-written Black Books, The IT Crowd and Count Arthur Strong, took to X yesterday to give a shout-out to his former Father Ted colleague.

‘I just called [O’Hanlon] and apparently women’s single-sex areas, fair sports, etc. He doesn’t agree with me that he deserves it. “I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news,” he said.

‘Of course, when I pressed him, he said, ‘That’s just my way of doing things.’ Just like Amelia Bulmore, another actor I support blames me for my own abuse when I did nothing.’

Father Ted star Ardal O’Hanlon admitted he was “saddened” after series creator Graham Linehan was arrested over a series of anti-trans tweets (pictured in 2023)

Responding to one comment, the Irishman said: ‘I can’t tell you what it’s like to have friends refuse to look into the matter and indiscriminately smear me at every journalist who comes along.’

Ms Bullmore, 61, appeared in the comedy show Big Train, which was co-written and directed by the Irish writer.

He has previously shared his thoughts on his former colleague’s views, describing them as ‘unthinkably painful’.

The actress told The Telegraph that Linehan was a “very successful person” to work with, while also describing him as “irrepressibly clever… and masterful”.

But he claimed he was struggling with how matters had become a ‘hot, unresolvable mess’.

It comes after Mr O’Hanlon admitted he felt ‘sorry’ for the show’s creator after he was arrested for a series of anti-trans tweets.

Linehan was first detained due to tweets for which police issued an arrest warrant on suspicion of inciting violence.

He also appeared separately at Westminster Magistrates’ Court accused of harassing transgender activist Sophia Brooks.

Mr O’Hanlon admitted he had not seen much of Linehan since he starred in the soap and was ‘surprised’ why he was so involved in the ‘culture wars’.

The 57-year-old Irish comedy writer accused the actor, who plays Father Dougal McGuire in the Channel 4 comedy, of being the ‘latest colleague to defame’ him

Mr O’Hanlon admitted he had not seen much of Linehan since he appeared on the show and was ‘surprised’ why he was so involved in the ‘culture wars’

Ms Bullmore, 61, who appeared in the comedy show Big Train, co-written and directed by the Irish writer, described Linehan’s words as ‘unthinkably painful’.

Mr O’Hanlon said he still got on ‘very well’ with the rest of the Father Ted cast, adding that he felt Linehan had made his views on the transgender community ‘confrontational’.

he said Sunday Times: ‘Even though I haven’t seen much of the show’s creator, Graham Linehan, I still get along with everyone and I’m baffled as to why he’s involved in the culture wars.

‘I feel sorry for him; ‘He is entitled to his views, but the way he presented them made it confrontational.’

Last month, Linehan said she would no longer face police investigation over anti-trans tweets that saw her arrested at the airport.

When the Irish comedy writer landed at Heathrow Airport from the US state of Arizona last month, he was greeted by armed police and detained on suspicion of inciting violence.

He posted on X, now formerly known as Twitter: ‘The police have informed my lawyers that I am not facing any further action in relation to the arrest at Heathrow in September.

‘After a successful hearing to revoke my bail conditions (which the police officer in charge of the case did not even bother to attend) the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case.

‘With the help of the Freedom of Expression League, I still aim to hold the police accountable for the latest attempt to silence and suppress gender critical voices on behalf of dangerous and disturbed men.’

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said: ‘After carefully reviewing a file submitted by the Metropolitan Police, we have determined that no further action should be taken in relation to a man in his 50s who was arrested on 1 September 2025.’