Father Ted creator Graham Linehan has praised the Supreme Court’s decision to confirm that the word woman is based on biological sex, meaning trans women are legally not women.
Responsible for hit shows such as Father Ted, The IT Crowd and Black Books, the multiple Bafta and Emmy-award winner was previously cancelled after he defended single-sex spaces for women.
Linehan said trans women should be excluded from women’s spaces as they were not women – a view that has now been backed up by the Supreme Court. But although he hailed the Supreme Court decision, he said the war on woke has only just begun.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court announced that the definition of a woman is based on biological sex in a landmark judgement.
Lord Hodge said five Supreme Court justices had unanimously decided that ‘the terms ”woman” and ”sex” in the Equality Act refer to a biological woman and biological sex’.
In an 88-page ruling, the justices said: ‘The definition of sex in the Equality Act 2010 makes clear that the concept of sex is binary, a person is either a woman or a man.’ The decision could have far-reaching implications on how sex-based rights apply, including how women-only spaces are allowed to operate.
In his judgement, Lord Hodge recognised ‘the strength of feeling on both sides’ and cautioned against seeing the judgement as a triumph for one side over another, stressing that the law still gives trans people protection against discrimination.
Speaking to MailOnline, Linehan described the moment he realised the judge had ruled in favour of biology – and revealed his hopes for his own comedy comeback.
He said: ‘I was in the courtroom. The judge said we had to respect the court and not have any reaction. When we heard it, you could feel the crackle go around the room. The moment the judge left, it just sunk in that we won after 10 years of fighting this nonsense. It’s good news but this is only one issue in a lot of woke issues.
Graham Linehan (pictured) has praised the Supreme Court’s transgender ruling as ‘good news’
The television writer created hit classics such as Father Ted. Pictured: Dermot Morgan (left) and Ardal O’Hanlon in the Father Ted Christmas special
The judgement was celebrated by women’s rights groups who opened a bottle of champagne. Pictured: Susan Smith (centre left), Marion Calder (centre right) and Helen Joyce (right)
‘The big problem we have is with TV commissioners. The artists are still out there but they have to get past these people who don’t really care about art. They care about imposing their beliefs on people.
‘If you look back at the 90s with Britpop, British art was famous round all over the world and there was a real sense of excitement.
‘But over the last 10 years there’s been a dearth of notable stuff. Because these people have tied their hands and feet together.
‘It’s all very safe – almost trying not to get noticed.
‘If you can’t say that reality is real, then you can’t do jokes about reality.
‘That’s what all artists do. If you deny the truth of the exterior world, they can’t do that.
‘But I don’t think we will forever be able to stop funny people being funny. People will get sick of it.
Left to right: Michael McIntyre, Chris O’Dowd, Richard Boden, Matt Berry, Ash Atalla, Graham Linehan and Tess Daly after winning the Bafta for the best sitcom for the IT Crowd on April 26, 2009
Graham Linehan also wrote Black Books, starring Bill Bailey, Dylan Moran and Tamson Greig
The IT Crowd starred Richard Ayoade as Moss (left), Chris O’Dowd as Roy (centre) and Katherine Parkinson as Jen (right)
‘There’s going to be a fightback [against wokeness]. Young people are sick of the rules. I think it will naturally fade away and we will come back to freedom of speech.’
Even so, Linehan isn’t sure he will ever be uncancelled.
He said: ‘I don’t know if that will ever happen. It’s like becoming unpregnant. I don’t know if it’s possible.
‘All of the people who have cancelled me either won’t look me in the face or don’t like me.
‘I never say never, but I don’t think I could ever see myself working for British television after what they did to me.
‘There is a big part of me that will never see people in the same way again.
‘It is what it is. I’m allowed to speak my mind.’
After he became more outspoken in support for women’s rights, comedy organisers stated to cancel his gigs.
Yet he also lost out on something he had spent years writing: the Father Ted musical.
Campaigners Helen Joyce (left) and Maya Forstater of Sex Matters smile outside court after the landmark ruling
Marion Calder (centre), Helen Joyce (centre left) and Maya Forstater (left) celebrate outside the Supreme Court
Lord Hodge said that five Supreme Court justices had unanimously decided that ‘the terms woman and sex in the Equality Act refer to a ‘biological woman and biological sex’
Graham believes the show’s production company Hat Trick, which co-owns the rights, shelved the musical because they didn’t want his name associated with it.
Hat Trick Productions did not respond to MailOnline’s questions.
Linehan said: ‘I thought my colleagues would support would stand up for me.
‘I don’t care if they uncancel me. I don’t want the affirmation because they so thoroughly betrayed me and the women in their lives.’
Yet there is still room for hope, the famed writer said.
Linehan added: ‘I just think everything will eventually restore itself and they will start to ignore the gatekeepers.’
These days Graham is working on a new sitcom in Phoenix, Arizona. Although he doesn’t want to release the name of the show until he and his colleagues have finished writing, he told MailOnline they had completed four episodes and he was excited about this latest project.
He said: ‘Hopefully I might get one more sitcom before I pop my clogs.
‘I’m having a lovely time in Phoenix. I’m far away from all this madness.
‘It’s a good time to be me, which is not something I thought I would be saying. With the stress I have been under, it’s amazing I can get out of bed in the morning.’
