HIGNFY 25th April 2025 - Ian Hislop on gender

[KnottyAuty]

Sorry if this was posted elsewhere.

Have I Got News For You last week completely failed to mention the Supreme Court ruling. A few posts here expressed disappointment.

This week Ian Hislop put the record straight!

He got to repeat 2 comments that were cut from last week’s episode. Jo Brand also makes good comments and reveals she had death threats.

At about 19 mins in

Oh how very interesting.

Is it on catchup?

BBC IPlayer is where I saw it after a tip off from family

What did they say?

Thank you, I’ll take a look.

Thanks @KnottyAuty!

In a way, it’s quite good they waited until this week, as they had KB’s “he doesn’t have the balls” clip, whereas if they’d already covered the story last week, the editors would likely have decided they could cover it again this week to balance coverage with all the other stories.

I thought the assertion they discussed it last week but it was cut (which I’m inclined to believe) was a great way to handle the explanation, especially as it sounds like it was cut because it was too long and perhaps an important point but not particularly funny, which makes sense in the context of the show.

I’m also glad Jo Brand pointed out how scared people are to talk about it - it’s so heartening to see so many journalists and politicians finally acknowledging the abuse directed at women who speak up on this issue, and I’m glad that almost every discussion I’ve heard recently on the SC ruling has mentioned the abuse and threats directed at women rather than focussing solely on trans rights.

It was an uncomfortable watch, clearly none of them wanted to say much because they were scared, and I doubt it’s middle aged women sending death threats, perhaps if it were our spaces wouldn’t have been invaded in the first place!

The extended 'A Bit More News' version is on Monday night, about 10:30pm BBC1 I think.

There was definitely a tense atmosphere. The segment was brief and not hugely funny. I agree it was good to have Jo Brand’s comments alongside Ian. Also to hear a middle aged woman like Jo, who people generally like, saying she’d had death threats would have given people pause for thought.

Is Jo Brand GC? I thought she was but wasn't sure.

He got to repeat 2 comments that were cut from last week’s episode. Jo Brand also makes good comments and reveals she had death threats.

Pretty sure he was joking and it wasn't really asked last week. It was all a bit 'I have the perfect proof but it's just too small to fit in the margin'.

In reality, they did the ooh isn't it difficult meta, and didn't tackle the core issues at all. Still cowards.

I watched it tonight. Ian Hislop introduced the topic after Angela Ripon showed the photo of Keir and Kemi. Their was discussion that Keir has apparently changed his mind about what a woman is, but has only made this public via a spokesperson and not his own statement.

Then Jo Brand said people are frightened to discuss the topic publicly and she herself has received death threats.

I don't recall Richard Osman or Paul Merton adding anything to the conversation.

DH and I wondered if the guests last week had flat out refused to answer anything related to the subject on camera.

I don’t know about Jo, but I’m pretty sure Richard Osman is GC.

Agreed. That was just a joke.
Painful how long it’s going to take before this topic can be discussed normally.

I thought the whole thing was a fudge and totally unclear for anyone who doesn't know all about the issues. They all just avoided saying much/anything apart from Ian signposting that it is worth reading the whole judgement.

I thought it quite sad and telling that despite there being a SC judgement people are still scared to discuss it in any meaningful way and that Ian, who can usually go for the jugular on thorny issues couldn't do his usual succinct and hard hitting summary for those who may not be familiar with a news item.

The latest The Skewer on BBC sounds was interesting, covering the SC ruling and Stonewall.

It was odd.

Good to hear Ian say the SC judgment is good and people should read it.

Good to hear Jo Brand chip in about receiving death threats.

But it was awkward and tense and unfunny. I suspect that's part of the reason they've avoided it for so long. It's such a heated and tense topic that it makes for quite uncomfortable viewing.

There's no way she isn't, surely?

We’ve all seen the BBC’s coverage of the ruling, it been appalling, interviews with GC women have been hectoring women have been blamed for “upsetting” TW.

The omission on HIGNFY, of the biggest news story of the week was sinister.
I’d like to know who at the BBC decided to cut this segment and why they did it. (Although we all know the answer to the last question).

Yes she is, I can’t remember the details but she did voice her opinion and received death threats so was to afraid to say anything else.

This Is from 2018! www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6274417/amp/Jo-Brand-says-mistake-let-children-decide-transgender.html

I never take it for granted these days, not since the great disappointment that was Dr Alice Roberts 🙄

Slight tangent but have been discussing Hislop on the podcast thread. The last Private Eye came out on the day of the ruling and the follow-on P94 podcast mentioned it in the quickest passing in relation to something else, with Helen Lewis throwing in a “we won’t be discussing it here” comment for good measure.

New issue out this week so very interested to see what the editorial line will be, more so in light of what he’s now publicly said on HIGNFY.

I seem to remember Helen Lewis is pro single sex spaces (genuine ones) but also thinks TWAW (not sure exactly how that works, but I think it means she is happy to use preferred pronouns etc.)

I really hope the ‘government WhatsApp page’ of Private Eye covers this next issue.