Channel 4’s head of factual, Danny Horan, has spoken out about the network’s latest commission which features “Monty Python” comedian John Cleese hosting a show about cancel culture.
“We’re doing that because we felt we needed to address [cancel culture] somehow and he’s got very strong views on that,” Horan said of Cleese during a virtual Channel 4 “Commissioners” panel at the Edinburgh TV Festival.
Cleese announced on Monday he would be presenting the show, titled “Cancel Me,” in which he speaks to activists and victims of cancel culture, including some famous faces.
“I think there’s a lot of things to address in that series that he is very keen to understand what happened and why it’s happened,” Horan continued. “And of course, you know, he was a comedian for the last few decades who had a lot of comedy [some of which now] feels outdated so he’s questioning some of that as well. So I think it’d be really interesting. It’s an it’s an area that he’s exploring.”
“I’m delighted to have a chance to find out, on camera, about all the aspects of so-called political correctness,” Cleese said in a statement.” “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.”
Cleese, best known for comedies including “Fawlty Towers,” has been vocal regarding his scepticism on numerous topics that often ignite social media over recent years. Despite that, he has amassed over 5.6 million fans on Twitter.
Last week, in response to a query from a fan asking whether proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test were a prerequisite to see Cleese’s upcoming U.S. tour, the comedian replied: “No, you just need a certificate promising that you have not attended specifically to be offended.