Laurence Fox and Dan Wootton suspended by GB News over Ava Evans insults

Image source, Getty Images

GB News host Dan Wootton has been suspended, the channel announced

Dan Wootton has been suspended from GB News following comments made on his show by Laurence Fox, who asked what "self-respecting man" would "climb into bed" with reporter Ava Evans.

The broadcaster had earlier suspended Fox for his comments during a live show about PoliticsJOE's Evans.

Evans said the comments made her feel "sick" and worried for her safety.

Wootton had apologised for the remarks, saying he "regretted" the interview.

GB News has called the insult "totally unacceptable". It added that it was conducting a full investigation.

"GB News has suspended Dan Wootton following comments made on his programme by Laurence Fox last night," it said.

It comes after Fox, who also hosts on GB News, was asked about Evans while appearing as a guest on Dan Wootton Tonight on Tuesday.

"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," Fox said.

"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, we don't need these sort of feminist 4.0… they're pathetic and embarrassing.

"Who would want to shag that?"

In a social media post on Wednesday afternoon, Fox said the media was "obsessed" with cancelling him over the comments.

Wootton and Fox were discussing Evans' comments on BBC Politics Live on Monday, when she was asked about Prime Minister Rishi Sunak being urged to appoint a minister for men to address rising levels of mental illness.

She said she thought that the idea would "make an enemy out of women" and that mental illness as a crisis was not specific to men.

She later said her comments were "a little rash" and that she was interested in a minister with a brief on young men's mental health.

Ava Evans said Fox's comments made her feel "sick"

Evans told PoliticsJOE's podcast that she did not see a way out of this situation without Fox leaving the channel. She added that she was scared for her safety.

She said: "We know that people sit at home and watch these things, sometimes can't appreciate the context of trying to get clicks and they're actually really angry about it.

"You've misrepresented me and now where are you going to be if someone turns up at my house tomorrow."

She said Wootton had called her "multiple times throughout the night" after the exchange with Fox was broadcast.

"I was getting calls up until one o'clock in the morning, voicemails… I don't want to hear from him," she said. "This is actually nothing to do with me.

"What I don't like about it, was that when the comments were said the presenter [Wootton] laughed about it.

"There was an entire gallery of people watching it go out who did nothing from the viewers perspective to stop it."

Evans also said the situation raised questions about allowing Conservative MPs such as Jacob Rees-Mogg and Lee Anderson to host shows on GB News, alongside Fox "who can't see women apart from the lens of am I going to have sex with them or not".

Before his suspension, Wootton's lawyer said that "he remains sincere in his desire to apologise personally" to Ms Evans and he "respects her wishes" if she does not want to be contacted.

Image source, PA Media

Laurence Fox, also suspended, accused the media of being "obsessed with cancelling" him

On Wednesday Laurence Fox posted a screenshot on Twitter, also known as X, appearing to suggest a conversation between him and Wootton post-show involving laughing emojis.

Fox, 45, an actor who previously starred in Gosford Park, also claimed that he had conducted a "pre interview" with the channel "so they knew exactly what I intended to say".

The comments have attracted condemnation from media figures and MPs, including Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho who said the comments were "completely vile".

Fellow GB news presenter and Reform UK party leader Richard Tice told BBC News the comments were "wholly inappropriate" and Fox should apologise to Evans.

Ofcom said it had received a number of complaints about Fox's comments.