Hugh Laurie Addresses Online Spat with ‘House’ Critic

British actor Hugh Laurie recently admitted to being “slightly drunk” after responding to criticism of his TV show “House” on social media. The interaction began when journalist Janet Murray uploaded a screenshot of her article titled, “What I Learnt from My Online Fight with Hugh Laurie,” on UnHerd.

Murray’s initial review of “House,” which aired from 2004 to 2012 and featured Laurie in the lead role, spurred an online debate. Murray claimed on X that Laurie’s response ignited “some fairly horrific trolling.” In a lengthy tweet, Laurie apologized for his actions.

“I’m sorry if people have been having a go at you because of my tweet,” Laurie wrote. “Not at all the plan. I was very slightly drunk and already upset about something that had nothing to do with you,” he added, explaining that he was defending the show’s writers.

Laurie acknowledged his tweet may have caused backlash for Murray and remarked, “If it’s any comfort, I got it in the neck too. I’m a thin-skinned person, apparently.” He continued, saying he regretted referencing cultural figures and noted, “We love what we love.”

Murray responded, acknowledging Laurie’s apology and expressing “no hard feelings.” The dispute began when on June 6, Murray criticized season 1 of “House” for its repetitive narrative, stating every episode followed a similar pattern. Laurie replied humorously, noting attempts at altering the format met with dissatisfaction from NBC and viewers.

Laurie is widely known for his portrayal of Dr. Gregory House in “House,” and had earlier gained popularity through comedy collaborations with Stephen Fry in shows such as “A Bit of Fry & Laurie” and “Blackadder.”

Janelle Ash, an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital, authored the original story. Tips can be sent to her at [email protected].