Watch preview clips of new Irvine Welsh documentary on 'offence'

Stand-ups Geoff Norcott and Andrew Doyle say the fear of causing offence is stifling risk-taking in comedy.

The comics – both of whom are long-standing critics of what is seen as ‘woke’ culture – spoke to novelist Irvine Welsh  for a new documentary on the subject airing on Sky Arts tonight.

Its premise is that ‘indignant, outraged, howling for justice over a social media post [or] a bad joke’ may ‘distract us from the things we should really be getting offended about’.

In his  introduction Trainspotting author Welsh asks: ‘Is artistic licence too easily cancelled?’

And Doyle, creator of spoof social media warrior Titania McGrath says: ‘Artists are definitely self-censoring, and I think the scale of that problem is much bigger than people recognise’.

In another clip released by Sky Arts, Doyle says: ‘When I started stand-up it was always a given that in a comedy club there was a risk of being offended.  Everyone knew that, audiences knew that, acts knew that.’

But he recounts a story when a woman in his last Edinburgh appearnce stood up and interrupted the show, protesting that a gag about Theresa May looking haggard was misogynistic.

‘In the past audiences would getthat hat you don't take [the comedian] literaly, and you don’t assume the comic behind the persona believes everything they are saying,’ Doyle said.

‘Now they assume it’s a literal declaration of the truth. Looking for authenticity from a comedian is the last place you should go.  Comedians lie all the time.’

In his interview, Norcott – who positions himself as one of the few right-leaning comedians - says social media is ‘undemocratic’, adding: ‘It has this power, it's disproportionate, it's not earned in a lot of cases.’

And he says that working class people are excluded from fierce debates that are ‘hothoused’ online, then are suddenly expected to toe the line of what the Twitterati elite have decreed, without having being part of the debate.

Arguing for a more gradual social progression, he adds: You’ve got to take a longer view.’

In another clip Norcott asserts: ‘Some of the things you are not allowed to say are born of risk-aversion. Something comes a little bit taboo, producers, production companies and channels decide to swerve it.’

But he says that is reductive and ‘I'd rather not narrow the scope’ of what can be discussed.

Nevertheless, he says: ‘Comedy clubs are still one of the most uncensored places you can go’

Also taking part are artists Jake Chapman of The Chapman Brothers, Sarah Maple, musician MIA  and novelist Nadifa Mohamed.

None of the clips released in advance of tonight’s programme appear to put a contrary view, for example, of far-right ideology using the cover of ‘satire’ to advance their agenda, as in the infamous ‘Nazi pug’ court case.

• Offended by Irvine Welsh will air on Sky Arts at 10pm tonight on Freeview Channel 11.

Published: 17 Nov 2020