'Cancelled' comedy writer Graham Linehan is to quit Britain and is seeking asylum in the United States as a 'free speech refugee'.

The Father Ted creator was arrested by armed police at Heathrow Airport last week and questioned over three tweets defending women from transgender rights campaigners.

Now the Irish-born 57-year-old, who has lived in the UK for 30 years, is aiming to rebuild his life in America.

And last night his friend and colleague, former Saturday Night Live star Rob Schneider, revealed that Mr Linehan has hired MAGA lawyer Aaron Siri over the asylum bid to appeal to President Donald Trump.

Mr Siri is a vaccine sceptic who works closely with US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.