The BBC has been hit with viewer complaints after Father Ted creator Graham Linehan compared doctors treating transgender children to Nazis experimenting on kids in concentration camps.

The comedy writer appeared on the show to discuss why he had become involved in a public row with some members of the transgender community.

The 51-year-old was challenged about his controversial comments by Sarah Smith during an interview on Newsnight on 10 February.


According to the BBC complaints report which is published fortnightly, the BBC Two channel received 115 complaints because of the following, ‘Bias against Graham Linehan / felt Graham Linehan’s views on the transgender community were offensive.’



The interview began with Sarah questioning Graham on why he has made the trans debate ‘his issue’.

‘You say you have been vilified, and have even lost work because of speaking out in this trans debate,’ she began.

The 51-year-old was challenged about his controversial comments by Sarah Smith (Picture: BBC)

‘You’re not a trans person and you’re not a woman, so why have you made this your issue?’

He responded: ‘The main reason is, women can speak about this, I’ll admit I am not a great person to speak about this, I am a comedy writer and I am very blunt.

‘The thing is there are a lot of women, like Kathleen Stock, academics who are very compassionate but who protect their boundaries and the boundaries of young lesbians and women in general.

‘They do so in a respectful and quiet way, but when they are asked to speak, they get shut down. Kathleen Stock had a freedom of information request about her emails, it is insane the amount of abuse and harassment they face. So I thought I’d step in.’

The Father Ted creator tried to defend his controversial comments (Picture: BBC)

The journalist interrupted as she asked: ‘But has stepping in made the debate any better? They have said the language you have used has increased the toxicity. What about comparing people in the trans debate to speaking out against Nazis?’

The Father Ted writer defended his comments as he continued: ‘There are a couple of parallels, one is at the moment children are being experimented on with puberty blockers.’

Before he could finish his statement Sarah interjected: ‘Come on you’re not seriously trying to say that children going to the doctor and saying they’re worried about their gender is the same to children being experimented on in Nazi concentration camps?’

Graham answered: ‘I am afraid I am.’

Later in the interview, he tried to go back on his comments as he added: ‘No, no, no, don’t get me wrong, I’m not comparing it to Nazi concentration camps.’

Graham tried to go back on his comments (Picture: BBC)

‘That’s basically what you said, wasn’t it? Experimenting on children is what the Nazis did and what doctors are doing today?’ the journalist responded.

He continued: ‘Well, essentially, if you look at the Tavistock [and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, which offers gender identity service], 35 psychologists have quit the Tavistock in three years.



‘One of the other things that Tavistock whistleblowers reported was that homophobic parents were bringing in their gender non-conforming kids and telling them to fix them.

‘There was a dark joke that went around Tavistock that in a couple of years there would be no gay people left. That’s why I compare it to eugenics programmes and things like that. It is extremely serious.’

No trans person appeared on the programme, nor any doctor who has treated trans people. However, the BBC explained that LGBT+ rights charity Stonewall had been invited on the programme but declined, instead they did provide a comment.

Helen Belcher, co-founder of Trans Media Watch – a UK charity dedicated to improving media coverage of trans and intersex issues – told Pink News: ‘The BBC did a reasonably good job of challenging Linehan’s stance, but that doesn’t make up for the bias they have displayed in reporting on trans issues over recent months.

‘Trans people are too often talked about rather than talked with, and it is clear from the piece framing the Graham Linehan discussion that the BBC still lacks basic knowledge of trans lives and the law affecting us.’

Newsnight airs daily at 10.30pm on BBC Two.

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