Top Gear, Poirot and Inside Number 9 music composer is cancelled by his OWN company after Tweeting his support for JK Rowling in transgender debate
- Composer and company founder Christian Henson said he backed JK Rowling
- But his message sparked pro-trans lobby accusations of being transphobic
- His post was deleted and his company CEO said Mr Henson would ‘take a break’
- The move by Spitfire Audio prompted counter claims of stifling free speech
- Ms Rowling likened it to recent case where lawyer was discriminated against
A Bafta-nominated composer who said he supported JK Rowling over her views on gender rights has been cancelled by his own £55.1million company.
Christian Henson, 50, who created music for television hits including Top Gear, Poirot and Inside No 9, backed the Harry Potter author and Father Ted writer Graham Linehan in an online post.
In a now-deleted Tweet Mr Henson – who founded composition sample company Spitfire Audio – said: ‘As a parent I can no longer keep my mouth shut about this. I’m in full support on Glinner and JK Rowling. Please look into this.’
It was followed by a link to a YouTube video by Linehan but prompted a furious response from pro-trans activists, who see both figures as hostile figures to their cause. The message is understood to have been about the Tavistock Centre, the controversial identity clinic for children now to be shut.
As the furore intensified he was accused of being transphobic and some claimed they would boycott Spitfire’s products and services.
Then the company’s CEO Will Evans – listed as a director alongside Mr Henson in the firm – apologised for the post.
He went on to say his colleague would be ‘taking a break’ as they ‘worked out how to move forward’.
But Mr Evans’ reaction sparked a free speech row and support for Mr Henson from Ms Rowling herself.
Christian Henson, 50, has created music for huge television hits including Top Gear and Poirot
Composer Christian Henson said he backed Harry Potter author JK Rowling over views
Mr Henson’s tweet has now been deleted but sparked accusations of transphobia by some
But he was supported by Ms Rowling who likened him ‘taking a break’ to recent legal cases
And Maya Forstater, who won an employment tribunal herself after she lost her job after a tweet about gender beliefs, also backed criticism of the company’s move.
The apparent decision to sideline Mr Henson could be made the more difficult due to the fact he is understood to hold a 35 per cent shareholding in the company.
The third director Paul Thomson – who has a similar stake – has not publicly commented.
Mr Evans wrote online: ‘Christian’s tweet has caused hurt among our community,
‘This hurt is understandably being extended as a reflection on Spitfire Audio, its collaborators and its employees.
‘I’m deeply sorry for that; we’ve worked hard to be a beacon for the industry and have a responsibility to do better.
‘Christian’s going to take a break as we reflect on how to move forward, and in the meantime, please accept my apologies on behalf of Spitfire Audio.’
Ms Rowling also entered the debate herself and questioned why Mr Henson had been announced as taking a break.
Row comes a day after women’s rights campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen was threatened by activists
One post about Keen – also known as Posie Parker – urge people to ‘fight her by any means fit’
She highlighted the case of Allison Bailey who won a landmark employment tribunal case against her London chambers, who had to pay her £22,000 in damages.
Ms Bailey accused Garden Court Chambers of withholding work from her and trying to crush her spirit after she criticised Stonewall’s trans policies including recommendations to change pronouns from ‘she and he’ to ‘they and their’.
Her gender-critical beliefs include that sex is biological and cannot change, and that the word ‘woman’ is defined as ‘adult human female’.
The tribunal upheld her claim that Garden Court discriminated against her because of her belief.
This is the second row in as many days concerning gender rights and the opposing views on each side of the argument.
Yesterday MailOnline told how a women’s rights campaigner said the pro-trans lobby had branded her a Nazi and made sick slurs about hoping her children develop cancer.
Kellie-Jay Keen, who founded Standing For Women, said her events had been hit by a number of threats and warnings.
She spoke out after officers from Sussex Constabulary were alerted to a number of menacing messages against her.
They included many branding Ms Keen – who is also known as Posie Parker – a TERF and urging people to ‘Fight her by any means you see fit’.
It came ahead of a planned Let Women Speak event in Brighton on September 18, which is billed as a ‘Speakers’ Corner tour’.
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