Update: GB News Also Suspends Dan Wootton After Previously Suspending Laurence Fox For On-Air Comments About Female Journalist

Update 8.05AM PST: UK network GB News has now also suspended host Dan Wootton for his part in last night’s interview in which Laurence Fox denigrated a female journalist by saying that no “self-respecting man” would “climb into bed” with her.

Wootton sniggered at Fox’s comments on-air but followed up with multiple apologies on social media before Fox was suspended. Per our previous story below, Fox today reacted to Wootton’s online apologies by posting a text thread that seems to show that Wootton sent him ‘crying with laughter’ emojis after the on-air exchange about female journalist Ava Evans.

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GB News said it is carrying out “a full investigation”.

Original story 5.35AM PST: Actor-turned-broadcaster Laurence Fox has been suspended by UK news channel GB News over on-air comments he made about a female journalist.

In a live discussion with GB News host Dan Wootton, Fox denigrated PoliticsJOE reporter Ava Evans, asking what “self-respecting man” would “climb into bed” with her.

Evans said Fox’s remarks made her feel “physically sick.” GB News Tweeted that the remarks were “totally unacceptable” and that it would formally apologize to Evans.

Fox, known for movies Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Becoming Jane and series Victoria and Lewis, later said on social media: “I stand by every word of what I said”.

Fox and GB News host Wootton had been discussing reporter Evans in relation to comments she made about the idea of a minister for mental health.

Noted controversialist Fox, who recently failed in a bid to become London’s Mayor, said on-air: “We’re past the watershed so I can say this. Show me a single self-respecting man that would like to climb into bed with that woman – ever, ever.”

“That little woman has been fed, spoon-fed oppression day after day after day. And she’s sat there and I’m going like – if I met you in a bar and that was like sentence three, [the] chances of me just walking away are just huge.

“We need powerful strong, amazing women who make great points for themselves…Who’d want to shag that?”

Host Wootton, who could be seen laughing in reaction to Fox’s comments, later issued two statements apologising on X, calling the remarks “totally unacceptable” and saying he had reacted “out of shock”.

However, Fox followed up online after the incident claiming that Wootton sent him ‘crying with laughter’ emojis after the exchange, and that GB News were aware of what he was going to say before he went on air.

GB News was in hot water last week for breaching media regulator Ofcom’s impartiality rules. This latest episode will ratchet up scrutiny of the right wing broadcaster.

Wootton himself has been in the headlines for the wrong reasons in recent months following allegations of inappropriate behaviour, which he has denied. The Daily Mail has suspended the broadcaster’s column pending review, but he has continued on GB News until today’s suspension over the Fox interview.

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