A Quick Message From JL About Channel 4's Ridiculous "The Speech" Decision

It Only Takes a Minute

I’m really very angry about Channel 4’s decision to pull “The Speech” episode of The IT Crowd. It is cowardly, hypocritical and pretty bloody low. Where is their loyalty to the writer and director to whom they owe some of their best-loved and funniest programmes??

Furthermore, I hate this sort of pandering censorship in all aspects of the arts, but especially in comedy. If it’s done properly, comedy is usually going to offend someone! Channel 4 are disappearing down a path which will lead to schedules full of the comedic equivalent of beige knitwear. God help us all.

Consequently, I have emailed the following complaint not only to Channel 4’s general contact address but also to its Chief Exec, Alex Mahon (amahon@channel4.co.uk), and its Director of Programmes, Ian Katz (via Tim Regan at tregan@channel4.co.uk).

If you want to do the same, please feel free to crib any / all of the text below!

Dear

I understand you are removing the IT Crowd episode “The Speech” from your schedule and I write to protest this ridiculous and cowardly decision in the very strongest terms.

Firstly, The IT Crowd is unique, brilliant and perfectly crafted and the series deserves to be broadcast in its entirety. It is hugely disingenuous and hypocritical to pull this episode under the pretence of ‘house cleaning’ while so many others comedies with far greater cause to be deemed ‘offensive’ remain untouched.

You are enabling a co-ordinated harassment campaign against the series writer, Graham Linehan, which has nothing whatsoever to do with his work. By removing the episode in question, you are caving into bullies and allowing activists to influence your policy. This sets a dangerous precedent.

Your statement that trans people are more susceptible to violence than anyone else is not supported by the statistics; trans people are one of the safest demographics in the UK.

Furthermore, you suggest that the position of trans people in society is “Vulnerable and some way from being legitimised”. That is hardly borne out by your pulling an episode from one of the best and most successful comedy series your channel has ever produced after a handful of insincere complaints, is it?! I cannot think of any other social group with such influence and power.

On a more general note, I am alarmed to see you’re allowing a particular ideology to dictate your output. This sort of mob-led censorship has no place in any sector of the arts, but particularly not in comedy.

Yours etc.