Trans broadcaster India Willoughby leads on-line pile-on to ‘cancel’ Office star Martin Freeman after hackers declare a person with identical identify donated to Graham Linehan’s authorized charges
Martin Freeman has been ‘cancelled’ online by trans rights activists after hackers claimed a man with the same name had given money to Graham Linehan.
Broadcaster India Willoughby led the pile-on today expressing ‘disappointment’ at the £2,000 donated to the Free Speech Union (FSU) to help cover the Father Ted creator’s legal fees.
Mr Linehan had been raising money to fight a legal case after claiming he was taken to court for ‘speaking out against gender ideology’.
Hackers have now published a list of alleged donors to the FSU – with the appearance of one ‘Martin Freeman’ causing a particular stir online.
The generous benefactor appeared to have donated £2000 in total to the ‘Graham Linehan Fundraiser Social’ on September 4, last year.
Ms Willoughby – a transgender activist who describes herself as ‘woman of the year 2023’ and ‘biological female’ – said on X: ‘Disappointing to see the name Martin Freeman here on donations to violent anti-trans bigot Graham Linehan. Is this you? £2,000?
‘Martin Freeman’s ex-wife is public terf Amanda Abbington. Martin himself came to fame alongside Ricky Gervais in The Office.’
She captioned the post #CelebrityTerfs.
Ms Willoughby – a transgender activist who describes herself as ‘woman of the year 2023’ and ‘biological female’ – said on X: ‘Disappointing to see the name Martin Freeman here on donations to violent anti-trans bigot Graham Linehan. Is this you? £2,000?’
Ms Willoughby later responded to a comment – ‘Nooo way?!?’ – from media personality Narinder Kaur
Martin Freeman is pictured in 2019. He has been ‘cancelled’ online by trans rights activists after hackers showed a man with the same name had given money to Graham Linehan
Ms Willoughby later responded to a comment – ‘Nooo way?!?’ – from media personality Narinder Kaur.
She said: ‘Sad, isn’t it? There are so many of these seemingly nice-on-camera but awful off it characters.
‘And they have the cheek to accuse trans people of pretending. While they are all fake as funk.’
The Daily Mail has contacted a representative of Martin Freeman for comment.
Mr Freeman, famed for his role in The Office, Sherlock and The Hobbit, is yet to publicly express his views on gender issues but has previously shared his thoughts on multiculturalism – saying it can be problematic.
He was in a relationship with actress Amanda Abbington until 2016, with whom he shares two children.
Ms Abbington previously expressed her disapproval of a drag show aimed at parents with babies – calling it ‘abhorrent’ and insisting ‘you cannot have a penis to be referred to as a woman’.
She later clarified her comments saying she is ‘not transphobic’ and is a ‘firm supporter of the legitimate trans community’.
Ms Abbington previously expressed her disapproval of a drag show aimed at parents with babies – calling it ‘abhorrent’ and insisting ‘you cannot have a penis to be referred to as a woman’. The then-couple are pictured in 2013
Mr Freeman, famed for his role in The Office (pictured), Sherlock and The Hobbit, has not been publicly vocal with his views on gender issues but has shared his thoughts on multiculturalism – saying it can be problematic
Since the FSU data was leaked yesterday afternoon by the trans rights activist website Bash Back, a number of trans activists have expressed their ‘disappointment’.
One person said on Reddit: ‘Not Bilbo! Seriously, why does every single movie or piece of media I enjoy need to be tarnished by some dingleberry doing dumb stuff like this?’
Another added: ‘You’re dead to me, Faux-Bilbo.’
But someone cautioned: ‘Ok I’m seriously asking so don’t come for me. How do we know it is the actor Martin Freeman? That’s a pretty common name.’
Some supporters online have also come to Mr Freeman’s aid – including Mr Linehan himself.
He said: ‘Could be any Martin Freeman, but whoever it is, I thank him.’
Mr Linehan later added: ‘What I think would be great about the leak is if it results in an upsurge in membership of the FSU.
‘The UK has become the next best thing to a police state – it’s not quite there but it’s kind of like a dress rehearsal for one.
Graham Linehan, co-creator of Father Ted and other British sitcoms, denied harassing a young trans activist
‘Let’s stop it in its tracks and let’s fight back against the UK’s appalling censorship and make a few middle class kids very very unhappy.’
Gender critical campaigner Janet Murray said: ‘I saw his same – and Janet Devlin’s and thought: Good – some artists with sense.
‘Although Martin Freeman probably quite a common name? Hope it’s him though.’
Mr Linehan was found not guilty of harassment at Westminster Magistrates Court last November.
The complainant, a trans activist, had reported suffering ‘alarm and distress’ due to a series of posts on Mr Linehan’s X account.
Finding him not guilty, district judge Briony Clarke said that while Linehan’s comments were ‘deeply unpleasant and even unnecessary’, they were not ‘oppressive or unacceptable beyond merely unattractive, annoying or irritating’.
Mr Linehan was found guilty on a separate charge of criminal damage after throwing the complainant’s phone outside a conference in London a year ago, and was ordered to pay nearly £1,400 in fines and costs.
