Comedy legend John Cleese attacks Muslims and Islam in online posts
John Cleese is one of Britain's best-loved comedy legends.
The actor-comedian was part of the iconic Monty Python comedy troupe in the 1970s. He co-wrote the sitcom Fawlty Towers and starred as its central protagonist, hot-tempered hotel owner Basil Fawlty.
Now aged 86, Cleese is still active. In recent years he has prominently commented on social and cultural issues like "political correctness". Just last year he released a film that followed him on a European tour.
But in recent weeks, Cleese has been responsible for a series of posts on the social media platform X attacking Islam and British Muslims.
The posts have intensified in frequency and content in the past week.
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On Tuesday, responding to a video of London Mayor Sadiq Khan saying "British Muslims are scared" amid rising anti-Muslim sentiment, Cleese remarked: "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'?"
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' https://t.co/ir0RmJc9Xy
— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) March 24, 2026
That same day, sharing a post by an anonymous account asking for advice for British Muslims in response to Khan saying they "are scared", Cleese said: "Don't be so vocal about your intention to kill 'infidels'."
Also on Tuesday, Cleese took aim at New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani over a clip in which Mamdani said he had received hateful abuse for being Muslim.
Cleese responded: "Maybe if the Muslims stopped threatening to kill infidels, that would help?"
Last week, on 19 March, Cleese posted: "Like a bunch of five-year-olds, Muslims just want their own way, and will kill non-Muslims to achieve it."
'Islamic intent to take over the world'
On 20 March, in response to British MPs calling for an investigation into remarks made by Tory MP Nick Timothy criticising Muslims praying at an interfaith event in Trafalgar Square, Cleese said: "I'm wondering whether there will be an investigation of the Islamic intent to take over the world."
That same day London Mayor Khan criticised Timothy, saying "British values mean defending everyone’s right to practise their faith freely... Singling out Muslims isn’t ‘British values’ – it’s prejudice."
Cleese took to X to offer his opinion, saying: "I think some of the prejudice to do with 'singling out Muslims' is to to with their stated intention to kill 'infidels', expecially the bit about beheading them."
On 15 March, he responded to a video of King Charles at the inauguration of the expansion of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.
"Poor sod," Cleese remarked of the king. "What a job..."
That same day the actor opined that "integration requires compromises on both sides".
He added: "Allah forbids compromise."
On 19 March, Cleese responded to former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf accusing Timothy of an "anti-Muslim dog whistle" by saying: "But doesn't the Islamic intention to kill all non-Muslims worth a dog whistle? Or has the beheading of infidels been recently dropped from the Islamic agenda."
In response, Yousaf said: "John, you made a career mocking the ignorant. It's sad to see you now joining their ranks."
The former first minister added: "Islam does not teach Muslims to kill all non-Muslims. In fact, the Quran explicitly commands kindness and justice towards those of other faiths.
"Can you go back to being funny please?"
John, you made a career mocking the ignorant. It's sad to see you now joining their ranks.
— Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) March 19, 2026
Islam does not teach Muslims to kill all non-Muslims. In fact, the Quran explicitly commands kindness and justice towards those of other faiths.
Can you go back to being funny please? https://t.co/OHuFWNuPbB pic.twitter.com/HajIZp7vcY
Cleese appears to have increasingly interacted with far-right X accounts over the past few months.
He has reposted far-right activist and convicted criminal Tommy Robinson on multiple occasions. There is no suggestion Cleese agrees with the posts he reposts.
On 23 March, he shared a post by an anonymous account named "The British Patriot" which claimed that Muslims on social media were demanding that Easter is banned because it is "haram".
There are no known examples of Muslims on social media demanding a ban on Easter.
Sharing far-right content
Last week, Cleese reposted a post featuring a fabricated quote of former British Prime Minister and war hero Winston Churchill saying: "When Muslims are in the minority they are very concerned with minority rights, when they are in the majority there are no minority rights."
There is no record of Churchill having said this.
Cleese also shared a post containing a list of quotes purportedly from the Quran calling for beheadings and violence against non-Muslims.
"Definitely worth a read!" he remarked.
Many of the quotes in the list were fabricated, while others were misleadingly translated.
On 14 March, Cleese reposted a post about a Middle East Eye story headlined "British Muslims are more loyal to UK than general public, new poll reveals".
"No one believes this," said the post.
The poll in question was a "nationally representative survey of Muslims" commissioned by the transatlantic Concordia Forum think tank in October 2025 and conducted by Opinium.
MEE contacted Cleese's UK agent for comment but did not receive a response.
Last November, Cleese denied online rumours that he had cancelled performing in Israel over pressure from boycott groups.
He said: "I am having to reschedule my shows in Israel planned for later this month following advice about safety. At 86, that is obviously all important."
Cleese was praised in a Telegraph column last month by an assistant editor of the newspaper, Michael Deacon, who said it was "brave of [Cleese] to defend so stoutly the right to criticise Islam".
He cited a post by Cleese complaining that, "Any criticism of Islam is labelled ‘Islamophobia’."
Cleese insisted: "A phobia is irrational. There is nothing irrational about criticising aspects of Islam."
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