John Cleese

In July 2026, Cleese sparked renewed controversy in the United Kingdom after stating that some cultures were better than others and commenting on Islam, Western society and Sadiq Khan, while expressing support for Rupert Lowe and Restore Britain.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Cleese published a satirical comparison between Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler which provoked an outcry; he subsequently apologised, describing it as a very bad joke.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Cleese withdrew from a Cambridge Union event, saying that he was 'blacklisting' himself after the society had excluded an art historian following an impersonation of Hitler.

Attribution

Personally implicated

UKTV temporarily removed the Fawlty Towers episode 'The Germans', partly because of a passage containing a racial slur, before reinstating it with a warning.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Shared responsibility

After signing a letter supporting J.K. Rowling, Cleese published several messages about sex and gender identity which were described as transphobic and provoked a strong online reaction.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

In 2019, Cleese reiterated an earlier remark that London no longer seemed to him to be a truly English city, prompting criticism from politicians and the public concerning immigration, multiculturalism and racism.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Monty Python's Life of Brian, co-written by and featuring Cleese, provoked major religious controversy; numerous British local authorities banned or restricted it, and the film was denounced as blasphemous.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Shared responsibility