Laurence Fox comments on show 'Dan Wootton Tonight' lands GB News in soup

An episode of the GB News program "Dan Wootton Tonight" has garnered over 8,000 complaints due to comments made on air by actor-turned-activist Laurence Fox.

The media regulator Ofcom, which is currently conducting a formal investigation into the incident, disclosed that they received a total of 8,846 complaints regarding the episode of Wootton's show that aired on September 26.

Fox faced a disciplinary hearing with the channel after making a series of personal remarks about political correspondent Ava Evans, a journalist for the website PoliticsJOE. These comments were described as "unacceptable, unjustifiable, and indefensible." One of Fox's comments included the question, "Who would want to shag that?"


In response to the incident, both Fox and Wootton, who were heard laughing during the episode, were suspended by GB News pending an internal inquiry. Wootton issued an apology after the show, and Fox also eventually expressed regret for the offense caused.

GB News CEO Angelos Frangopoulos expressed his dismay over the remarks, stating that they did not align with the channel's values.

Following the broadcast, a third presenter, Calvin Robinson, was also suspended after expressing support for Wootton online.

In an interview with Sky News's Sophy Ridge, the chief executive of Ofcom acknowledged the existence of "real issues around misogyny" in public discourse.

MailOnline later announced the termination of its contract with Wootton, who had been a columnist for the website. His regular column had been paused in August during an investigation into allegations that he used a pseudonym and offered colleagues money for explicit material.

The controversy began when Fox, discussing Ms. Evans on Wootton's GB News show, made derogatory comments. He questioned whether any self-respecting man would be interested in her romantically, referring to her as an "incel." He criticized her views on topics like the gender wage gap and feminism. These comments were made following Ms. Evans's appearance on the BBC's "Politics Live" show, during which she discussed various topics, including mental health and the idea of a minister for men.

Ms. Evans expressed that she was deeply hurt by Fox's comments, which focused on her appearance rather than her work. She later acknowledged that her remarks on the BBC were hasty and clarified her genuine interest in a ministerial role for young men's mental health.