A stand-up comedy show that featured Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan in its line-up has been cancelled after complaints were made to the venue.
An Edinburgh venue has axed the Comedy Unleashed event featuring Linehan, a vocal critic of aspects of the trans rights movement, which was due to take place on Thursday.
Leith Arches posted the "cancellation announcement" on Instagram on Tuesday, saying: "We would like to thank members of the public and our community for bringing to our attention a comedy act billed to perform at our venue this Thursday.
"We were not made aware of the line-up of this show in advance. We have made the decision to cancel this show, as we are an inclusive venue and this does not align with our overall values."
Advertising for the Comedy Unleashed event had said a "famous 'cancelled' comedian" would be among those performing.
They billed it as an "Edinburgh Fringe Event", though it does not appear on the official line-up.
Reacting to the news, Linehan tweeted: "Holy s**t the venue has cancelled the WHOLE GIG because I’m on the bill."
In a subsequent reply to a supporter, he added: "We’ll find a venue and we’ll sue the Leith Arches if we don’t.
"In all conscience, I cannot withhold from the world my fifteen minutes of under-rehearsed stand-up comedy about pizzas."
He told another fan the event had been "sold out" and also retweeted a post from TalkTV presenter Julia Hartley-Brewer, who condemned the cancellation as "pathetic behaviour".
Is there another #edfringe venue that will put on this line-up? (The 'cancelled comic' is the wonderful Father Ted co-writer Graham Linehan)https://t.co/ES8M65YCd2
— Comedy Unleashed (@UnleashedComedy) August 15, 2023
She said: "Shame on them for censoring the free speech of comedians like @Glinner (Linehan) whose only crime is to believe in biological reality and stand up for women’s rights."
Linehan was banned from Twitter in 2020 for breaking its rules around hateful conduct with comments about trans people, but his account was reinstated after Elon Musk took over.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Comedy Unleashed wrote: "The venue (Leith Arches) has cancelled our gig this Thursday following pressure from censorious activists
"Is there an #Edfringe venue that believes in free artistic expression that will host us?"
Source: Press Association
