Dame Maureen Lipman has warned that comedy is in danger of becoming “wiped out” by self-censorship and the fear of offending audiences. 

The actress, 75, added her voice to a debate on “cancel culture”- a catchphrase used by critics to describe the practice of shunning public figures over perceived wrongdoings.

While some say the social media phenomenon promotes greater accountability, other commentators feel it stifles free speech. 

“I think it’s a revolution. I think it’s in the balance whether we’re ever going to be funny again,” the Coronation Street star told BBC Radio4’s Today programme on Wednesday.   

“It’s a bit like laughter in church. Something has to be forbidden to make you really laugh, to make you really belly laugh. It’s when you shouldn’t be laughing. And so, therefore, all the things that are being cancelled out are, I’m afraid, the things that have always made people laugh.”

She added: "This cancel culture, this punishment, it's everywhere. An eye for an eye. 'You said that, therefore you must never work again.' We're on the cusp of wiping out comedy."

A new poll carried out by YouGov found that most Britons (57 per cent) say they have previously refrained from expressing their political or social views for fear of judgement. 

The data, released on Wednesday, also found that almost two thirds (65 per cent) didn’t know what the term “cancel culture” meant. 

Another third (38 per cent) had never heard it before.  

In October, the US comedian Dave Chappelle came under fire for joking about making a film called “Space Jews” in which aliens return from space to conquer the Earth. He also faced criticism for jokes about the LGBTQ+ community.