British Comedy Guide

John Cleese to investigate cancel culture

Monday 23rd August 2021, 9:36am

Hold The Sunset. Phil (John Cleese). Copyright: BBC
  • John Cleese will look at the topics of political correctness and cancel culture in a new Channel 4 show
  • John Cleese: Cancel Me will see the star explore why the "'woke' generation is trying to rewrite the rules"
  • He says: "I want to bring the various reasonings right out in the open"

John Cleese is to look at the topic of cancel culture in a new Channel 4 programme.

John Cleese: Cancel Me will see the Monty Python star meet people who have lost work or social contacts because of something they've done or said, and "set forth into the minefield of cancel culture to explore why a new 'woke' generation is trying to rewrite the rules on what can and can't be said."

Last year The Germans episode of Fawlty Towers was temporarily removed from UKTV Play in relation to racial slurs made by the character Major Gowen. Cleese said at the time, "We were not supporting his views, we were making fun of them".

Talking about John Cleese: Cancel Me, the comedy star says: "I'm delighted to have a chance to find out, on camera, about all the aspects of so-called Political Correctness.

"There's so much I really don't understand, like: how the impeccable idea of 'Let's all be kind to people' has been developed in some cases ad absurdum.

"I want to bring the various reasonings right out in the open so that people can be clearer in their minds what they agree with, what they don't agree with, and what they still can't make their mind up about."

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