Comic relishes controversy after being reported for anti-Islam tweets

John Cleese has said it is ‘exciting’ to be referred to the government’s counter-extremism scheme Prevent.

The Fawlty Towers creator was reported to the Home Office scheme over a number of posts targeting Islam.

The complaint refers to a pattern of social media messages rather than one specific post.

In one cited in the complaint, Cleese wrote about London mayor Sadiq Khan: ‘Can this silly little man not grasp that the traditional British values are under attack from Muslim belief systems, especially the Koranic demands to kill "infidels"?’

The former Monty Python star has said the Koran was ‘ALL about acquiring power, killing "infidels" and imposing Islam on everyone’. He has called Islam a ‘mediaeval woman-hating religion’ and reposted messages calling it  ‘the religion of paedophiles’.

The Prevent referral, made on September 22, was revealed by the Muslim news site 5 Pillars, which reported that the unnamed complainant said: ‘These statements go beyond criticism of ideas and attach intrinsic criminality, violence, and moral depravity to a religious group.’

It is claimed his posts met ‘several indicators used in Prevent risk assessments for anti-Muslim hate and counter-extremism concerns’ and warned that his rhetoric could contribute to ‘radicalisation, communal tension, and hate incidents’.

Responding to news of the referral online, Cleese, 86, posted: ‘How exciting’ and later added: ‘I can’t wait to be arrested. This is a real life sitcom! Please tell the police to contact my agent.’

The Free Speech Union has defended Cleese, saying: ‘The ability to criticise, debate, challenge, and mock a religion is a fundamental right in Britain. It is not extremism. 

‘Activists and extremist ideologues are weaponising the Islamophobia definition to silence criticism of Islam, its history, and its practices.  We should all be deeply alarmed that Prevent is being used as a tool by activists to stifle free speech. Such misuse can only undermine its mission to tackle genuine extremism.’

Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who defected to Reform in January, also voiced her support, saying: ‘Prevent is supposed to identify potential terror threats and interrupt them through deradicalisation. Not to silence legitimate comment or debate about Islam.’

Cleese has recently come out in favour of Rupert Lowe, leader of Restore Britain, and this weekend reposted a 40-minute speech, which he called ‘t good old-fashioned common sense’. He also retweeted a post from Tommy Robinson about fellow far-right agitator Danny Tommo being denied bail after being accused of criminal damage to a boat in the English Channel.

» John Cleese's Ministry Of Silly Tweets

Published: 5 Oct 2026