Graham Linehan has launched a scathing attack on Daniel Radcliffe after the Harry Potter star reiterated his support for transgender rights and distanced himself from JK Rowling’s views.
The Father Ted creator wrote on X: “It’s almost admirable how an actor with no talent feels confident enough to shit on the person who made him famous.”
Mr Linehan’s remark came in response to a resurfaced post highlighting Mr Radcliffe’s previous comments about the Harry Potter author’s stance on transgender issues.
Mr Radcliffe previously told the Atlantic: “It makes me really sad, ultimately. Because I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote, and the world that she created, and all of that is to me so deeply empathic.”
Mr Radcliffe had said Ms Rowling’s comments left him “deeply saddened”
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The 36-year-old actor confirmed he has not had contact with the author since she began speaking out on gender identity, and stressed that he would “continue to support the rights of all LGBTQ people”.
“Jo, obviously, Harry Potter would not have happened without her, so nothing in my life would have probably happened the way it is without that person,” Mr Radcliffe said.
“But that doesn’t mean that you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life.”
He added: “Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I.”
Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan was arrested at Heathrow Airport after making a series of gender-critical posts | PA
Mr Linehan’s explosive response quickly divided opinion online.
Supporters of the comedy writer backed his criticism, with one user writing: “Never bite the hand that feeds you.”
Another commented: “He’s made all the money that he can off of her, so time to throw her under the bus.”
A third added: “Agreed. And he STILL can’t say what ‘transphobic’ comments she made. As a woman, I am so grateful for her focus on protecting the rights and dignity of girls and women.”
Emma Watson alongside her Harry Potter co-stars Rupert Grint (left) and Daniel Radcliffe (right) | PA
However, others rushed to Mr Radcliffe’s defence. “Radcliffe handled a nuclear topic with more grace than most politicians manage in a lifetime,” one supporter argued.
Another hit back at Mr Linehan directly: “I mean, okay Radcliffe has no talent, what movies have you made, Graham?”
The row comes amid continued fierce debate surrounding Ms Rowling’s gender-critical stance.
The author has repeatedly stated her belief that sex is biological and has voiced concerns about the impact of gender self-identification on single-sex spaces.
Aside from Mr Radcliffe, her position has also sparked high-profile clashes with other former Harry Potter stars, including his co-star, Emma Watson.
After the author published an essay in 2020 outlining her concerns about gender identity, Ms Watson publicly backed the trans community, stating that “trans people are who they say they are.”
Tensions deepened in 2022 when Ms Watson declared she was “here for all the witches” at the BAFTAs, a remark widely interpreted as a swipe at the Harry Potter author.
In April 2024, Ms Rowling said she would “never forgive” Ms Watson or Mr Radcliffe for supporting what she believes is a movement that erodes women’s rights.
JK Rowling has been snubbed by the Harry Potter cast
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PAThe row reignited in September 2025 when Ms Watson said on the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast that she still “treasures” Ms Rowling and would not “cancel her out.”
Ms Rowling, however, dismissed the remarks as a calculated “change of tack,” describing the actress as “ignorant” and arguing that her wealth and fame insulate her from the real-world impact of trans-inclusive policies.
Mr Linehan, meanwhile, has become one of the most outspoken defenders of gender-critical views in the UK.
The writer is currently on trial, accused of harassing a transgender activist and denying a charge of criminal damage.
He has previously claimed his “life was made hell” after he began sharing his views on transgender issues eight years ago.