Hugh Laurie Apologizes to Journalist After Online Exchange Over 'House' Formula

Actor Hugh Laurie posted an apology on X on Monday, June 9, 2026, to British journalist Janet Murray after his reply to her criticism of the medical drama “House” prompted fans to attack her. Laurie stated he was “very slightly drunk and already upset about something that had nothing to do with you” when he responded to Murray’s post. He wrote that the show had tested episodes in which Dr.

” “NBC weren’t happy,” he added. Murray had written on X that the series followed the same pattern each week: “Patient has mysterious illness. Hugh Laurie (House) gets diagnosis wrong. Patient nearly dies.

Gets threatened with being fired. Hugh Laurie has last minute leftfield idea. Gets diagnosis right. Doesn’t get fired. ” The series ran from 2004 to 2012.

He compared the show’s repetitive structure to other repeated artistic forms, citing JS Bach’s 30 Goldberg variations, Frida Kahlo’s 50 self-portraits, and Henry Moore’s repeated motifs. ” Laurie wrote in the same thread. Murray later wrote in an article for UnHerd that Laurie’s initial reply had been funny and in character as Dr.

House. Fans of the series then attacked her online and called her names. Laurie apologized for those attacks, stating, “Not at all the plan. ... ” He described himself as “a thin-skinned t---, apparently, even though it wasn’t my skin.

” “I’ve listened to most of them and will keep doing so. Because we love what we love,” he wrote.