Graham Linehan has fallen out with Ardal O’Hanlon over his transgender views as the writer accuses the Father Ted star of ‘smearing’ him in the press.
The Irish comedy writer, 57, accused the actor, who played Father Dougal McGuire in the Channel 4 comedy, of being ‘the latest colleague to smear’ him.
It comes after Mr O’Hanlon revealed he felt sorry for the writer after his arrest and was ‘baffled’ by his stance regarding transgender issues.
In September, Linehan was met by armed police when he touched down at Heathrow Airport last month from Arizona in the US and was detained on suspicion of inciting violence.
In October, he confirmed via X that he faced no further action.
Since the gender critical campaigner, who also co-wrote sitcoms such as Black Books, The IT Crowd and Count Arthur Strong, took to X to call out his former Father Ted colleague.
‘I just called [O’Hanlon] and he apparently disagrees with me that women deserve single-sex spaces, fair sports etc. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news,’ he said.
‘Of course, when I pressed him, he said it was the “way” I did things. Like Amelia Bulmore, another actor I never did anything but support–blaming me for my own harassment.’
Graham Linehan (pictured on September 4, 2025) has fallen out with Ardal O’Hanlon over his transgender views as the writer accuses the Father Ted star of ‘smearing’ him in the press
Father Ted star Ardal O’Hanlon admitted he ‘feels sorry’ for the show’s creator Graham Linehan after he was arrested over a string 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 friend after friend simply refuse to research the issue in favour of casually smearing me to every journalist who comes along.’
Ms Bullmore, 61, featured in a comedy show co-written and directed by the Irish writer called Big Train.
She previously shared her thoughts about her former co-worker’s views, describing them as ‘too painful to think about’.
The actress told The Telegraph Lineham was a ‘very winning person’ to work alongside, while also describing him as irrepressibly clever… and ingenious.’
However, she maintained that she struggled with how matters became ‘an inflamed, insoluble mess.’
It comes after the Father Ted star admitted he ‘feels sorry’ for the show’s creator after he was arrested over a string of anti-trans tweets.
Mr O’Hanlon confessed he hasn’t seen Graham much since he starred on the show, and is ‘baffled’ why he’s become so involved in ‘culture wars.’
Linehan was originally detained in relation to tweets that police deemed to warrant an arrest on suspicion of inciting violence.
The Irish comedy writer, 57, accused the actor, who played Father Dougal McGuire in the Channel 4 comedy, of being ‘the latest colleague to smear’ him
Ardal, who played Father Dougal McGuire in the Channel 4 comedy, admitted he hasn’t seen Graham much since being on the show, and is ‘baffled’ why he’s so involved in ‘culture wars’
Ms Bullmore, 61, who featured in a comedy show co-written and directed by the Irish writer called Big Train, described Linehan’s remarks as ‘too painful to think about’.
He has also separately appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, having been accused of harassing transgender activist Sophia Brooks.
Mr O’Hanlon, who said he still ‘gets on great’ with the rest of the Father Ted cast, added that feels Graham has made his opinions about the transgender community ‘confrontational.’
He told The Sunday Times: ‘I still get on great with everyone, though I haven’t seen much of the show’s creator Graham Linehan and am baffled as to why he got involved in the culture wars.
‘I feel sorry for him; he’s entitled to his opinions, but the way he presented them made it confrontational.’
Last month, Graham said he faces no further police action over anti-trans tweets that saw him arrested at an airport.
The Irish comedy writer was met by armed police when he touched down at Heathrow Airport last month from Arizona in the US and detained on suspicion of inciting violence.
He has now posted on X, formerly Twitter: ‘The police have informed my lawyers that I face no further action in respect of the arrest at Heathrow in September.
‘After a successful hearing to get my bail conditions lifted (one which the police officer in charge of the case didn’t even bother to attend) the Crown Prosecution Service has dropped the case.
‘With the aid of the Free Speech Union, I still aim to hold the police accountable for what is only the latest attempt to silence and suppress gender critical voices on behalf of dangerous and disturbed men.’
A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson said: ‘Following careful review of a file submitted by the Metropolitan Police, we have decided that no further action should be taken in relation to a man in his 50s who was arrested on 1 September 2025.’
