Minchin has written a festive song comparing Jesus to Woody Allen, but at the last minute ITV decided not to risk allowing it to be part of their show.
Taking to his blog, Minchin has vented his frustration with the decision, saying he is “f**king disappointed”.
The Christmas song, according to Minchin, was already pretty safe as he knew the Jonathan Ross show is watched by a mainstream audience.
Apparently the Woody Allen Jesus ditty was “silly, harmless, quite cute and certainly not very contentious”.
Minchin said the song had been given the go-ahead by producers and lawyers, but when ITV’s director of television, Peter Fincham, heard it he demanded it be axed from the show.
“He did this because he’s scared of the ranty, shit-stirring, right-wing press, and of the small minority of Brits who believe they have a right to go through life protected from anything that challenges them in any way,” Minchin wrote.
“It’s 2011. The appropriate reaction to people who think Jesus is a supernatural being is mild embarrassment, sighing tolerance and patient education.
“And anger when they’re being bigots.
“Oh, and satire. There’s always satire.”
Minchin then posted the song on his blog, explaining its meaning by saying that both Jesus and Woody Allen are “short, Jewish, philosophical, a bit hesitant”.
An ITV spokesperson insisted that the song was cut because it “didn’t feel right for the show”. Continuing that “We do think Tim’s talented and would love to work with him on ITV shows again in the future.”
Minchin has appeared on the Jonathan Ross show before and once performed a song describing how he’d like to sleep with Ross’s wife, Jane Goldman.