Steve Coogan branded an ‘extremist hater’ following Margaret Thatcher remarks ahead of Channel 4 drama: ‘Hypocrite!’
Comedian Steve Coogan has caused outrage with his comments about former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher while promoting the two-part Channel 4 drama Brian and Maggie.
The 59-year-old will portray journalist Brian Walden in the upcoming series, with Harriet Walter starring as the Iron Lady.
Brian and Maggie will follow Walden, a former Labour MP turned journalist, and his friendship with the then Prime Minister.
The show, directed by Stephen Frears and written by James Graham, centres around Walden’s infamous 1989 interview with Thatcher – which would prove to be her last while in office.
At the time, Thatcher was dealing with a revolt from her own ministers that eventually ousted her from No10.
“When she was on the ropes towards the end of her leadership… he (Walden) decided to choose journalism over his friendship,” Coogan said about his character.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, the 59-year-old explained he had an issue with the Conservative Party “deifying” Thatcher in a damning reflection on her premiership.
“The huge Thatcherite experiment, 30 years later, lots of people can argue that a few people benefited from it, but society at large was damaged by it,” Coogan slammed.
He added: “In fact, there’s a line in the drama that says, ‘We used to have communities, now we just have stuff.’”
Despite some enjoying Coogan’s analysis of the upcoming show, others shared their fury at his comments on social media.
“Coogan another celebrity, socialist, hypocrite… despised Thatcher but conveniently forgets she’s helped him amass his wealth…. still does,” one slammed on X.
Another fumed: “Coogan uses interview for his self again talking rubbish”
A third branded the 59-year-old an “extremist Thatcher hater celeb” but added “Brian Walden was a superb journalist, unlike todays approved and ‘verified’ narrative merchants”.
The news follows earlier comments from Coogan where he revealed a scene had been cut from Brian and Maggie for its overly positive portrayal of Thatcher.
“I’m not going to deny it. It was because I didn’t want this series to be some sort of rehabilitation of Margaret Thatcher,” Coogan admitted at an early screening of the Channel 4 drama.
He added: “I wanted it to be something that was balanced.”
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The scene in question had Walden describe Thatcher as “worth 100 of them (the Cabinet Members who ousted her)”.
Coogan was keen to point out the decision was not a “woke airbrushing” of events.
He instead felt that the line “was too syrupy for Brian to say that after having stuck the knife in”.
Coogan added: “I thought raising the glass to her was sufficient without that line. It was more subtle. It was important that we got the balance right.”