UK police apologize to 'Father Ted' creator Graham Linehan for arrest over trans social media posts

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2026 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG. Comedy writer Graham Linehan joins 'Fox & Friends' to discuss the backlash he faced after making comments on transgender people, the state of free speech in Britain and more. The Metropolitan Police has issued an apology to an Irish comedy writer who was arrested over his social media posts criticizing transgender issues, according to a new report. Graham Linehan, creator of "Father Ted," was detained by five armed officers at Heathrow Airport in September 2025 on suspicion of inciting violence. The Telegraph reported that Lynsay Watson, a transgender former police officer, reported Linehan for a hate crime stemming from three social media posts Linehan had posted criticizing transgender activists. Prosecutors later dropped the case. Linehan announced in October he intended to sue the force for wrongful arrest. After a five-month investigation, the M