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8 months ago
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Controversial broadcaster Dan Wootton has quit GB News a day after Ofcom rapped his show over Laurence Fox‘s “unambiguously misogynistic” rant.
Wootton said in an X statement that he will launch his own platform titled http://www.danwoottonoutspoken.com, “which will feature a brand new daily news and opinion show from later this year that will not be regulated by the Ofcommunist censors.”
He slammed the Ofcom ruling, adding: “Yesterday’s chilling Ofcom report clearly raises far bigger issues. How can any British broadcaster truly stand for freedom of expression when state goons have the power to decide what you are and are not allowed to say on air? Unlike the freedoms enjoyed in the US thanks to the first amendment, how can these media outlets ever be anything other than controlled opposition?”
A GB News statement said: “Dan Wootton joined GB News before its launch and was a part of the first on-air line up. Dan is no longer employed by GB News and we thank him for his contribution and wish him well with his future endeavours.”
Wootton was one of the channel’s big draws having hosted his own show for nearly two years but he was suspended following the Fox rant, during which Fox, who was swiftly fired, said “no self-respecting man would climb into bed with” a female journalist he was criticizing.
The incident was by far and away the most complained about TV show to Ofcom in 2023 and was investigated within 48 hours.
Monday’s ruling said it was “unambiguously misogynistic” and criticized Wootton’s role in the aftermath.
A war of words contained within the Ofcom ruling found that GB News had told the regulator that Wootton’s producer placed an apology on the autocue for Wootton to make on air following an ad break, but Wootton “did not read it out.” Wootton disputed this and also disagreed with GB News over how much advice was given to him to make an apology live on air via his earpiece.
His departure comes a few weeks after London’s Metropolitan Police said it would take no further action against him. The police had examined allegations that Wootton used fake online identities and offered money to others for explicit material of themselves. Wootton has previously said he made “errors of judgement” but denied criminality. Wootton was also dropped by MailOnline, for which he wrote a column.
Yesterday, GB News’ rival TalkTV revealed it will be closing its linear channel and moving online-only.
Meanwhile, GB News’ financial results published earlier this week showed losses ballooning from £30.7M ($39.6M) to £42.4M for the year to May 31 2023.
