A number of Channel 5 viewers have been left up in arms after a furious clash erupted between two guests on Jeremy Vine's self-titled talk show on Wednesday.
Carole Malone and Nefular Hedayat found themselves at loggerheads when debating the news of comedy writer Graham Linehan's arrest earlier this week, despite both agreeing it was an "overreach" by police.
Mr Linehan was detained by five armed officers on Monday after arriving at Heathrow Airport from Arizona. The arrest was made in connection with three social media posts he sent in April about trans people.
According to the Met Police, the arrest was "in relation to allegations of inciting violence, linked to posts on X" with the decision made in line "with existing legislation".
The topic of Linehan's arrest and other significant arrests related to social media posts became the bedrock for Wednesday's debate on Jeremy Vine, with the host kicking things off by asking his panellists if they felt it was an "overreach" by law enforcement.
"Yes," Ms Hedayat emphatically replied. "The recent Policing and Crimes Bill has given the police unfathomable amounts of power, and this is just the trickle-down impact of what something like that can do.
"So we live in a Britain today where it appears that you could go to jail for telling a joke, or certainly you can be detained for telling a joke, and this is an overreach that is — we have to be serious about how much of an overreach this is.
"This is essentially the ramifications of what can only be described as a serious hindrance to liberty and freedom in this country," she signed off, prompting a rare moment of agreement with Ms Malone.
Graham Linehan was arrested on his arrival back at home in the UK on Monday
| PAMs Malone concurred: "Yeah, I mean, I think this is proof positive that the Met Police and others have been radicalised. They’ve become the protective arm of the trans movement. It’s like they’re an offshoot of Stonewall.
"It is disturbing, outrageous, and it is against free speech. I mean, this guy’s career has been wrecked because of his opposition to the trans ideology, and that’s exactly what it is. It’s not a proven idea."
To provide context, Mr Vine read aloud the three separate X posts Linehan shared back in April that led to the incident on Monday.
"There is no right in this country not to be offended. In a democratic society, you have no right not to be offended," Ms Malone passionately insisted before Mr Vine clarified that calling "inciting violence" isn't allowed.
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Jeremy Vine: Carole Malone and Nelufar Hedayat clashed throughout Wednesday's show
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Hedayat agreed: "Let’s look at the context clues, and let’s then look at the disproportionate (actions). Five armed police officers... I find what he said repugnant. I found it repulsive.
"However, I think I live in a country where you are allowed to say repugnant, repulsive things that I disagree with inherently."
After Ms Malone then weighed back in to argue "you have a right to say you dislike or disagree with the trans movement", Ms Hedayat hit back: "I mean, the point of the story is: man makes joke, gets arrested. This isn’t a trial of the right of trans people to exist."
From that point on, Ms Hedayat and Ms Malone found themselves at each other's throats as they began to compare Mr Linehan's case with other notable examples - including Lucy Connolly's.
Jeremy Vine: The Channel 5 host tried to moderate the debate
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Mr Vine raised Ms Connolly's arrest and subsequent prison sentence as an example of a social media post resulting in action from the police. "This is really important. Putting them in the same bracket is weird. It’s an odd thing to choose to do," Ms Hedayat promptly interrupted.
"(She went to jail) because she incited hatred and wanted to burn down the refugees in a hotel. Which is different from saying, 'Oh gosh, I don’t like trans people.' They are incomparable."
An irate Ms Malone began to shout over Ms Hedayat to argue that her claims about Ms Connolly were untrue.
When Mr Vine stopped Ms Hedayat from talking, Ms Malone argued: "I want to come in on the Lucy Connolly thing. Yes, I know people do say things when they’re very upset. The reason Lucy Connolly said what she said at the time was that she very tragically lost a child. And her reaction was to those little girls in Southport-"
Jeremy Vine: Carole Malone fiercely defended Graham Linehan
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"I don't care," Ms Hedayat coldly interrupted, prompting Ms Malone to snap: "Can I finish, please?! Her reaction was to those girls in Southport being murdered. And that’s why she… but she got rid of it very, very quickly."
She went on to argue: "What Linehan said doesn’t begin to compare to what that councillor, Ricky Jones, said when he was calling for people to slit other people’s throats. That is inciting (violence). That’s inciting."
Following the debate, both Ms Hedayat and Ms Malone received their fair share of praise and criticism from their supporters and opponents for their respective stances. However, it was Ms Hedayat's remarks about Ms Connolly's loss of a child that sparked plenty of ire from viewers.
"What a horrible thing for that Nelufar to say..... She is absolutely vile!" one X user fumed in response to a clip of the debate.
Lucy Connolly was jailed for a social media post last year. She's since been released
| XA second concurred: "'I don’t care' What a nasty thing to say, Nelufur... Lucy Connolly lost her own child... Tweets something wrong but shows regret & remorse & removes it & says sorry... British judiciary put her in prison for 10 months! She has a 12-year-old."
Meanwhile, a third raged: "@Nelufar get this child off the TV. What an absolute child with pathetic whinging of absolute no value with childish views. Get her off. NOW."
And a fourth was similarly unimpressed: "#Jeremyvine The awful petulant girl on as usual, all mouth and no sense. Another BBC woke clown."
However, Ms Hedayat did receive backing from other viewers who focused their dismay at Ms Malone for her conduct in the debate.
Jeremy Vine: Nefular Hedayat said she 'didn't care' that Lucy Connolly had lost a child prior to sending her X post
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Another X user waded into the debate: "@Nelufar completely sidelined. If Malone's not shouting down her every sentence, Vine's interrupting her to tell her not to 'lose momentum' then interrupting her again 5 seconds later. Pointless. #jeremyvine."
"Carole's aggressive and dismissive treatment of her co-panelist is at best unsettling, but at worst verging on bullying," a second critic argued. "Vine should have managed this more professionally. Unpleasant to watch and disappointed in Carole."
"Good to see sassy Nelufar giving it back to Carole. #JeremyVine," a third praised while a fourth hit back at Ms Malone's claim directly.
"I lost a child as well. I didn’t say those abhorrent things. Stop using this as an excuse for her actions," they said.