Matt Berry comments on ‘transphobic’ IT Crowd episode

Channel 4 have removed the controversial episode from their streaming service

The IT Crowd star, Matt Berry, has commented on a controversial episode of the show that many labelled “transphobic”.

In the episode, which aired in 2008, Berry’s character Douglas, dates a transgender woman and promptly breaks up with her after she tells him she is trans.

In an interview with Vulture, Berry denounced the episode: “I don’t condone anything that that comedy portrayed, you know? I don’t share any views that the writer has.”

The episode in question was written by Graham Linehan, who has been a vocal critic of transgender rights and was permanently banned from Twitter for numerous transphobic comments.

Channel 4 removed the episode in question from streaming service All 4 last year, prompting criticism from Linehan who called the decision “an attack on my right to freedom of speech”.

Lineham went on to remark: “I’m entirely serious when I say that Channel 4 is banning the episode for religious reasons. ‘Transwomen are women’ is a statement of belief, which I do not share. Channel 4 are behaving disgracefully by participating in this insult to women.”

The Irishman, who also created Father Ted then said: “I won’t work for them again until the episode is reinstated.”

Linehan has previously been sued for harassing a transgender woman and was warned by the police to stop contacting her. He has previously claimed that his views cost him his marriage.

When approached by The Independent, Linehan did not comment on the TV episode in question but reaffirmed his views on some trans issues.

This article was amended on 17 November 2021, to add a reference to Mr Linehan’s response to our request for comment.