'We’re all hypocrites!' Steven Moffat rages at cancel culture: 'Only happens to the good guys!'
Steven Moffat has weighed in with his thoughts on cancel culture
GETTY/ITV
Steven Moffat has delved into the world of cancel culture ahead of the release of the new ITV drama, Douglas is Cancelled.
The series, which originated as a play in Moffat's mind years ago, centres on a newsreader whose life is turned upside down following a tweet alleging he'd made a distasteful joke at a private wedding ceremony.
Moffat is no stranger to headline-grabbing TV, helming sci-drama Doctor Who for eight years before Chris Chibnall took over and working alongside Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman on the globally successful adaptation of Sherlock.
In Douglas is Cancelled, which begins on ITV on June 27, Moffat has enlisted Hugh Bonneville and Karen Gillan as the two show leads.
It's Bonneville's Douglas Bellowes who's the victim of cancel culture in the new comedy-drama and it's a topic Moffat feels strongly about putting on screens.
"(Cancel culture) is thousands of years old. Socrates got cancelled, Jesus of Nazareth got cancelled … and we’re all hypocrites," he began.
Douglas is Cancelled: ITV drama is written by Steven Moffat
ITV
Moffat contoinued to the Sunday Times: "We’re outraged when someone who thinks the way we do is cancelled, but we’re perfectly happy to cancel someone else.
"But cancellation only works on people who are capable of shame and wish to be well thought of. In other words, it only really works on quite good people.
"It’s a smart bomb that can only take out people who at least aspire to virtue: you can’t cancel Hitler, you can’t cancel Donald Trump — you can’t, and they won’t care.
"What is the point in a smart bomb that only afflicts and affects the civilised?
"As Aristotle points out, shame is a quasi-virtue. If you’re capable of shame, then by the inverse you aspire to decency, even if you don’t attain it all the time."
While Douglas is Cancelled is an opportunity for Moffat to dramatise a story centred on a topic he feels strongly about, it also provides him the chance to reunite with Hollywood superstar Gillan.
Gillan propelled to stardom as part of the cast in Moffat's Doctor Who and once the trailer for the series was released, the 36-year-old took to social media to express her delight at reuniting with Moffat.
"Douglas Is Cancelled! On ITV/ITVx 27th of June!!! Reuniting with my favourites @stevenwmoffat, @alexkingstonofficial, and of course @bonhughbon was just the biggest treat," she began to her 7.9 million Instagram followers.
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Steven Moffat helms the new ITV drama, Douglas is Cancelled
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"I CAN’T WAIT for you to see what we’ve cooked up!! @itv @itvxofficial."
Before long, Gillan was inundated with comments from fans excited to see the new series unfold.
"Can't wait. Fingers crossed we get it here in the US soon. What a cast -- and that Moffat fellow," one fan replied.
A second echoed: "This is the best we’ve seen ever from you KG this is so delightful and what a beautiful collaboration with your fav people."
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