Debbie Hayton Debbie Hayton

No laughing matter: accusations of transphobia wrecked Graham Linehan’s life

The comedian found himself out of work and out of his marriage when he challenged the transgender ideology that to be a man or women is about choosing an identity

Graham Linehan [Alamy] 
issue 11 November 2023

Graham Linehan is an unlikely political campaigner, but in 2018 the sit-com writer embarked on a second career in what is possibly the most contentious and vitriolic arena of our time. According to Linehan, he was fighting for women and children, but his advocacy has cost him dear. Accused by his opponents of transphobia, he has found himself out of work and out of his marriage.

Jobs began falling away, and a tour to Australia to teach comedy was cancelled

In Tough Crowd, he tells the story of how he ‘made and lost a career in comedy’.

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