Hugh Laurie apologises for 'slightly drunk' response to House criticism

Hugh Laurie has apologised to a journalist for firing back at her critique of his TV show House.

The British actor, who played Dr. Gregory House in the medical drama for eight seasons between 2004 and 2012, responded to freelance journalist Janet Murray after she took to X to criticise its first season for having the "same narrative every episode".

After Murray wrote an article about the "horrific trolling" she experienced following his "witty riposte", Laurie apologised and insisted he hadn't intended for others to insult her.

"I'm sorry if people have been having a go at you because of my tweet. Not at all the plan," he wrote on X on Monday. "I was very slightly drunk and already upset about something that had nothing to do with you."

The Night Manager star admitted that he didn't come away from the exchange unscathed either.

"If it's any comfort, I got it in the neck too. I'm a thin-skinned t**t, apparently, even though it wasn't my skin. I was sticking up for the writers who I adored," he added.

Laurie acknowledged that he shouldn't have cited composer Johann Sebastian Bach or artist Frida Kahlo to support his argument about art repeating itself, as that was "asking for trouble".

"(It) would have done better to go for the 10,000 blues songs written around the same 12 bar chord structure. I've listened to most of them and will keep doing so. Because we love what we love," he concluded.

In response, Murray thanked Laurie for his apology and insisted that she liked House and his lead performance.

In his original post, the Blackadder actor explained that episodes of House would be "6 minutes long" if his character got the diagnosis right immediately, and audiences "weren't happy" if he got the diagnosis wrong and the patient died.

"The point is, or was, variations on a theme; if all you see is hospital, medical blah blah, then it wasn't meant for you," he added, before quipping, "Nonetheless, I look forward to your first novel!"