Irish comedy writer Graham Linehan demanded a public apology from comedian Bill Maher in a letter posted to X on Sunday after the HBO "Real Time" host called him a "crank" during a recent episode of his show.
"This was an episode defending free speech. In the same segment where you condemned my arrest for speaking, you called me a crank for what I said. You’re defending the principle whilst attacking the person who actually used it, proving you’re no friend to those who risk everything by speaking up," Linehan wrote in a letter posted to X as well as his Substack, referring to a Sept. 12 episode of "Real Time with Bill Maher."
Linehan, the co-creator of the U.K. sitcom "Father Ted," was arrested at London's Heathrow Airport in early September over social media posts criticizing transgender activists that allegedly incited violence.
"I am asking you now to do the right thing. Issue a public apology on ‘Real Time’ — the same platform where you defamed me. Acknowledge that calling me a ‘crank’ was wrong, and that my work on this issue has been substantive and necessary," Linehan continued.
IRISH TV COMEDY WRITER SAYS UK 'NO LONGER FREE COUNTRY' AFTER ARREST OVER SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS
Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan and "Real Time" host Bill Maher. (Lucy North/PA Images via Getty Images; Noam Galai/Getty Images)
Maher brought up Linehan's arrest on "Real Time" last month and urged Americans to support free speech without conditions to avoid becoming like the United Kingdom.
"Last week, the Irish sitcom writer Graham Linehan, who’s won an Emmy and five BAFTA awards, got off a plane at Heathrow and got arrested by five British police officers, not because he was selling drones to the Houthis, just because he’s a crank who spends way too much time online ranting about gender ideology," he said.
Maher continued, noting that there are plenty of "non-crazy people, liberal people" who feel that the left has gone "a little mad" with transgender issues, including author J.K. Rowling and comedian Dave Chappelle.
"Some have expressed that opinion with literary sophistication, like J.K. Rowling. Some by getting big laughs, like Dave Chappelle. And some are downright ugly about it, like Lineham," he said. "But ugly is the price of a freedom so great as speech."
He argued in his letter that he has covered the "harms" of gender ideology since 2017, saying Maher had "ignored" the issue for a decade.
"I have been covering the harms of gender ideology since 2017 — eight years ago. In 2018, I joined thousands of others in asking for a more civilised debate on an issue that affects the safeguarding of children and the rights of women. For this, I was cancelled across the board. I lost my career, my marriage, my financial stability. I was made notorious by flippant, unserious commentators like yourself, and then punished for my notoriety," he wrote.
A representative for "Real Time" did not immediately return a request for comment.
Graham Linehan leaves Westminster Magistrates Court on Sept. 4, 2025, in London, England. (Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images)
Linehan has sounded off on what he believes is a growing free speech problem in the United Kingdom following his arrest.
"I think my case proves that there is a terrible free speech problem in the U.K., but sadly, I've seen that happen now for eight years," Linehan told Fox News Digital. "They just want to put you in a cell and scare you into not talking about certain issues."