Writer and comedian Graham Linehan, best known as the creator of Father Ted, has revealed he was arrested at Heathrow Airport after flying in from the United States, over social media posts he published earlier this year.

The 57-year-old said he was detained by five armed officers after arriving from Arizona on Monday, 1 September. Writing on his Substack, Linehan claimed he was taken to a police cell and questioned about his posts on X (formerly Twitter).

One of the entries in question, published in April, read:

“If a trans-identified male is in a female-only space, he is committing a violent, abusive act. Make a scene, call the cops and if all else fails, punch him in the blls.”*

Another showed a photograph of a trans rights protest, with the caption: “a photo you can smell”, followed by: “I hate them. Misogynists and homophobes. F**k em.”

Met Police statement

While the Metropolitan Police did not name Linehan directly, a spokesperson confirmed:

“On Monday, September 1 at 1pm officers arrested a man at Heathrow Airport after he arrived on an inbound American Airlines flight. The man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of inciting violence. This is in relation to posts on X.”

Police said Linehan was taken into custody but later transferred to hospital when officers became concerned for his health. He was kept under observation after his blood pressure reportedly reached “stroke territory”, before being released on bail pending further investigation.

The force added that the arrest was made by the MPS Aviation Unit, noting that while the officers were armed, their firearms were “not drawn or used at any point.”

Separate case pending

Separately, Linehan is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, accused of harassing transgender woman Sophia Brooks and damaging her phone, allegations he denies.