Graham Linehan has criticised what he described as “the adults who said nothing” after responding to online discussion about declining numbers of young people identifying as transgender.
The television writer was reacting to a post shared on X by the account Genspect, which highlighted figures from a newspaper article published by Swiss outlet NZZ examining a fall in referrals to a gender clinic in Zurich.
According to the post, referrals to the University of Zurich’s gender clinic peaked at 134 in 2021 before dropping to 60 by 2024, representing a reduction of more than half over three years.
Mr Linehan replied to the post by writing: “‘Trans was a trend’. One of the most disastrous trends in human history.”
Graham Linehan was arrested over his social media posts last year | PAHis comment prompted a flurry of responses, with some users agreeing with his assessment and others criticising institutions they felt had encouraged young people to identify as transgender.
One commenter wrote: “Absolutely, but it was pushed and glamorized by the very people who should have known better, from schools to churches.”
Another user said: “A lot of young lives were ruined because of this ‘trend’.. because of adults who wanted to do some virtue signalling to their pals…”
Mr Linehan replied directly to that comment, adding: “And the adults who said nothing.”
Graham Linehan has previously spoken out on his experience of being 'cancelled' for his views | PAFurther responses to Mr Linehan’s post included criticism of politicians, with one viewer writing: “And the politicians who used it for votes despite the harms it causes.”
The original post by Genspect also attracted a large number of comments, many of which used strong language to describe what they see as the long-term impact of medical and social approaches to gender identity over the past decade.
Among the comments were claims that society would be “dealing with the fallout of this unprecedented socio-medical scandal for decades and decades to come."
Another said: “People will look back on transgenderism as the strangest and most perverse phenomenon in history.”
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'Trans was a trend'. One of the most disastrous trends in human history. https://t.co/FE8mUs8DVR
— Graham Linehan (@Glinner) January 26, 2026
Other responses called for further reductions in referrals. “Let’s get that number down to zero,” one person wrote, while another described transgender identification as “a fad” driven by social media and a desire to stand out.
The discussion reflects a wider and increasingly polarised debate around gender identity, medical treatment for gender dysphoria, and the role of schools, healthcare providers, and governments in responding to young people questioning their gender.
Mr Linehan has become a prominent and controversial voice in debates around gender identity in recent years.
The Father Ted and IT Crowd creator has repeatedly argued that gender ideology has caused harm, particularly to children and young people, and has faced criticism for comments that campaigners say are dismissive or offensive to transgender people.
He was arrested on September 1, 2025, at Heathrow Airport and was detained by five armed officers upon arrival from Arizona on suspicion of inciting violence related to three posts on X.
The comedian was investigated by police before the case was dropped by prosecutors.
The investigation centred on a number of posts shared on X, including one that suggested people should “punch [a trans-identified male] in the balls” if they entered female-only spaces.
Mr Linehan later defended the remark, describing it as a “serious point made with a joke”.
The Metropolitan Police subsequently confirmed that the Crown Prosecution Service would be taking no further action in relation to the posts.
Following the decision, the Met announced it would stop investigating so-called “non-crime hate incidents”, saying the move was intended to give officers clearer guidance on what should and should not be pursued.
The announcement came amid growing political and public scrutiny over the use of police resources to investigate online speech.
In a separate case in November 2025, Mr Linehan was convicted of criminal damage after knocking a mobile phone out of a trans activist’s hand during an altercation at a conference in October 2024.
Mr Linehan was investigated by police over social media posts made in April 2025
| GETTYHe was cleared of a related harassment charge arising from the same incident.
Mr Linehan’s arrest over the social media posts prompted strong criticism from several high-profile figures.
Harry Potter author JK Rowling described the situation as “totalitarianism”, while Elon Musk labelled the UK a “police state”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer later said police should focus on “the most serious issues” rather than social media posts.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley also weighed in, calling for changes to the law and saying officers had been placed in an “impossible position”.
Mr Linehan and the Free Speech Union have since announced plans to pursue legal action against the Metropolitan Police, alleging wrongful arrest and false imprisonment.