Comedian Robin Ince quits BBC as his support for trans rights ‘became problematic’

Comedian Robin Ince has quit his BBC job, claiming that his support for trans rights “became problematic” with the broadcaster. 

On 13 December, Ince took to social media to share the “very sad” news that he “had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage”. He described his resignation as a “victory for the transphobes and other bigots”. 

The media personality had presented BBC Radio 4’s science show The Infinite Monkey Cage, alongside Professor Brian Cox, since 2009. 

‘It broke my heart’

In his statement he wrote: “This is the saddest day of my professional life…

“I never thought I would have to leave the show. I always imagined going on until I dropped dead under the studio lights due to a brain aneurysm caused by my final attempt to understand notions of quantum gravity or the shock of being told about fly maggot infestations in the sacks of macaque monkeys,” he began. 

Ince shared that he resigned in September, after 16 years of developing and naming the show.  

“Unfortunately, my opinions outside the BBC have been considered problematic for sometime, whether it has been voicing support for the trans community, criticism of Donald Trump, numerous other outlandish opinions, including once gently criticising Stephen Fry.

“These things were considered to conflict with being a freelance BBC science presenter,” he shared. 

Fry sparked controversy in 2022 when he failed to condemn JK Rowling’s beliefs about trans people, despite saying his trans friends had been left “deeply upset” by her views.

Ince went on to claim that BBC studio executives “again voiced problems” with him during a recent meeting. 

The presenter shared that he was given the choice of “obedience and being quieter”, or to “resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believe are injustices”. 

“I chose the latter. It broke my heart,” he shared. 

He reiterated that he sees it as a privilege to be able to resign and speak out, even at the “determinant of my career”. 

Ince then referenced his “heroes,” Sinead O’Connor, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and “so many more”. 

“The job of an artist is to be themselves at any cost,” he wrote in reference to O’Connor’s mantra. 

He then concluded his statement by apologising to listeners for his departure, adding that he hopes his separation from the BBC means he can be “a better ally to the LGBTQ community” alongside others.

Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage – a victory for the transphobes and other bigots – I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction – they are real and so often unrepresented.

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— Robin Ince (@robinince.bsky.social) 13 December 2025 at 00:02

In a statement, a BBC spokesperson said, as per the Metro: “We would like to thank Robin Ince for everything he’s done for Infinite Monkey Cage over the past 16 years and wish him all the best for the future. We will announce more Monkey Cage news in due course.”

The BBC has repeatedly faced backlash not only for the way it covers trans topics, but for the gender and identity topics it does choose to cover.

Arguably the most infamous example is the controversy it courted over an article titled “The lesbians who feel pressured to have sex and relationships with trans women.”

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