My mom was/is a big fan of Inspector Lewis, the British copaganda series which ran for more than a decade. Laurence Fox was one of the stars of that show, and he actually had a decent career for himself in British television and film. He was married to certified hottie Billie Piper, then everything fell apart circa 2016. Fox turned into a self-styled right-wing lunatic, Billie divorced him (citing his “unreasonable behavior”) and Fox now regularly writes columns and does TV appearances all about how much he hates wokeness, women, immigrants and diversity. As such, Fox was naturally invited on Dan Wootton’s GB News talk show this week. This is now Wootton’s sole media gig – his Mail column was suspended as his current and former employers “investigate” Wootton’s decades of fraud, catfishing, bribery and abuse. Well, Fox and Wootton obviously turned into a toxic catastrophe on-air, and it’s become the British media story of the week:
GB News has issued an apology and launched an investigation after it aired “totally inappropriate” comments by the actor and Reclaim party founder, Laurence Fox, about the journalist Ava Evans. Fox made a series of derogatory comments about Evans, a political correspondent for online news site Joe, during an interview with presenter Dan Wootton on Tuesday night.
Evans posted the clip of the segment to X, formerly known as Twitter, with the comment: “Laurence Fox just did a whole speech on GB News on why men apparently won’t shag me,” adding in a reply: “I feel physically sick.”
Shortly after GB News issued a statement saying Fox’s stance “does not reflect our values”.
“Comments made tonight on GB News by Laurence Fox were totally unacceptable,” the station said in a response posted to X. “What he said does not reflect our values and we apologise unreservedly for the comments and the offence they have caused. We have launched an investigation and will be apologising to the individual involved.”
On Tuesday night, Wootton apologised as well, saying: “Dear @AvaSantina I think you’re brilliant … I apologise for what was said during the course of my show and should have done this immediately on air. This is not what our channel is about.”
Wootton issued another apology on Wednesday morning, saying: “I want to reiterate my regret over last night’s exchange with Laurence on GB News. Having looked at the footage, I can see how inappropriate my reaction to his totally unacceptable remarks appears to be and want to be clear that I was in no way amused by the comments.”
In the segment Fox had called Evans a “little woman” and went on to say: “Show me a single self-respecting man that would like to climb into bed with that woman ever, ever, who wasn’t an incel. 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’d want to shag that?” As both Fox and Wootton laughed, Fox added: “Sorry, it’s true though.”
Wootton immediately “apologized” and tried to throw Fox under the bus, and in turn, Fox published some of their texts in a tweet, showing that Wootton thought Fox’s misogyny was funny. Some people think that this incident and Fox’s tweets might be the final nail in Wootton’s coffin. I doubt it? Like, this is a feature, not a bug. This is why he’s on air.
Update: Wow, they suspended Wootton.
NEW: GB News has suspended Dan Wootton following comments made on his programme by Laurence Fox, the broadcaster said.
— Nadine White. (@Nadine_Writes) September 27, 2023
Laurence Fox just did a whole speech on GB News on why men apparently won’t shag me ? pic.twitter.com/XoQD0DUQVm
— Ava-Santina (@AvaSantina) September 26, 2023
Honesty is the best policy. https://t.co/snrQdY9Zbe pic.twitter.com/gQfg0P3pKA
— Laurence Fox (@LozzaFox) September 27, 2023
Really, really grateful to every person who reached out to me. From MPs, to journalists, to friends and people on here. I'm overwhelmed by how kind people have been.
I'm also immensely grateful to the incredibly courageous people who spoke out despite working on the station.
— Ava-Santina (@AvaSantina) September 27, 2023
Screencaps courtesy of GB News, additional photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
-
- Laurence Fox leader of the Reclaim Party, pays his respects on Remembrance Sunday at the Royal artillery war memorial at Hyde Park Corner by Roger Alarcon,Image: 567986078, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Celebrityphotos uk / Avalon
-
- London, UK, 17th May 2023. Outspoken Actor and Reclaim Party founder Laurence Fox speaks at a rally organised by Public Child Protection Wales, opposing the new Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) Code in Wales.,Image: 776542168, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter / Avalon
-
- London, UK, 17th May 2023. Outspoken Actor and Reclaim Party founder Laurence Fox speaks at a rally organised by Public Child Protection Wales, opposing the new Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) Code in Wales.,Image: 776542232, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter / Avalon
Please don’t EVER put GB NEWS and the word “standards” in the same sentence! They, like these two sick twisted morons, , don’t have any.
@Mary – as a fellow Brit I just don’t understand why this news channel is allowed to broadcast. It makes me so ashamed. It started with the hatred of Meg and it has just grown to hatred… for the sake of it.
Im kinda happy this happens because it’s possibly going to be the last nail on the coffin for Dan Wootton.
@LRB me neither lovey. It’s just toxic in the fullest sence of the word. It’s not a “news” channel and the only purpose it serves (if you can call it a service?) is to allow sickos like these two airtime. It should be taken of air altogether, put into a box and consigned to the deepest pits of hell, (along with Rupert Muck dock
Oy. What is wrong with American society and media – and as a result my sensitivity meter – that I read that and thought oh. I mean it’s not nice but I can’t imagine an American celeb even doing anything other than clapping back, annoyed, on social media.
We had a president who grabbed random women by their “pu$$ies” and bragged about it so my calibration is super off.
Same
I don’t think posting something on SM counts as an apology if you didn’t contact the individual who was harmed.
It most certainly does not.
I watched that disgusting clip last night and was just amazed at how comfortable these trash men are with sharing these comments on air. This is a sickness that is speading and I am scared that it will only get worse.
The trick is NOT to support cr@p media by ‘watching/listening/reading’ them.
This is not surprising at all… actually it’s lucrative both monetary and viewership point. Dan does a segment on MM almost every day and it’s always his most viral moments. Allegations made against him by Byline ( did not lose his gig on GB) and the only consequence is when he participates against a white woman. They will both get a slap on the wrist and will be back on air soon. Unfortunately, that is the media system we live in. Right wingers can and will get away with anything.
I love watching Lewis too … I’ll still play re-runs in the background when I’m doing something. I loved Fox’s character – every time I watch I’m so mad that he descended into such craziness. I had to stop following him on Twitter because of his madness. UGH of course he and Wootton are friends
Same, I started out watching Lewis and then continued on to watch Morse and Endevour and I adore everything about these series, I cried watching the last epi of Endevour, and it pisses me off that fox has put a dark cloud over it for me and many others. I cannot believe he snagged a hottie like Billie but I’m glad she left him even though she is tied to him for life because of their kids.
I am so glad that Fox exposed his entire *ss to the whole world — he deserves to be shown for what he is, which is a horrible human being. I’m sorry that he and Billie Piper share kids, and hope they grow up OK despite their dad. I hope she has entire custody.
I used to love Lewis and now I can’t even watch it. 🙁
@acha – same.
He played a very credible Nazi, in Foyle’s War.
THIS is what I remember. It was a very credible portrayal, like he was living and breathing the role.
Wow, when even GB News is embarrassed – and Wootton had to go back to the footage to see that his laughter was inappropriate – really?
Dude has a head like a penis and is talking about how men wouldn’t want to sleep with her?? Okay, Larry.
Yeah, am I misunderstanding bc it sounds like he said only an incel would want to sleep with her. Ummm, say what cuz dude, you are an incel, like you are actually the definition of an incel.
Would be truly mortified if someone read this as a defence of this twat, but on a pedantic level – isn’t the definition of an incel and ‘involuntary celibate’? I know now there’s many other connotations, but presumably and unfortunately this man is famous and/or rich enough that he is no way involuntarily celibate. Billie piper for Christ’s sake!
I loved Inspector Morse and loved Inspector Lewis as well as Fox’s character on the show. I was totally shocked and incredulous when he started spewing his misogyny and racism. Wooton and Fox are the poster children for birds of a feather.
He is as bad as his Uncle Edward who was aslo in the Refurendum and the the UK Indy Parties
Laurence’s sister no longer talks to him as she is married to Richard Ayoade and he cast some racial crap about their kids
I too was once a viewer of Inspector Lewis. Laurence Fox has truly trashed, ruined any chance he ever had of winning back his former fans. I have no idea why he has turned into such a nasty man; perhaps he was always this nasty and we just never saw it. The Lewis cast did a good job then, of covering for him all those years.
I loved his character on Lewis. It just goes to show what a good actor he was.
Is that text exchange between Wooton and LF? There’s no names attached.
Between Fox and Wootton. Wow, when GBN suspends you because you embarrassed them? That says a lot. Now Wootton is jobless, let the blackmail begin.
I love how they turned on each other immediately and threw each other under the bus. Puts a smile on my face.
Given everything that Wootton has been accused of and THIS is what it takes for him to get taken off the air?!?!?!?
GB News is trash and time to take it off the air.
As for Fox he’s always been a vile man.
This is my reaction as well. THIS is worse than his years long hate boner for Meghan? You can really see the hate for Meghan that still exists in England.
Right? Seeing those photos of Wootton physically sickened me. He can’t be gone soon enough; hopefully this is what does it, but idk.
I think the whole thing was a set up. GB news had to get him off the air because of the investigation and made this story line up involving a white womanly so not to admit that it’s about the byline articles or his nonstop hatred of a black woman.
They have suspended Dan Wootton! Any one else think they are using this as an excuse to remove him from air??
I don’t think they’ll bring him back, I think it’s a suspension now but by next week he’ll have been fired. I think Wootton needs to find where his closest employment agency is, his days at GBN are over.
I’ll be waiting for Musk to invite him to bring his platform to Twitter just like he did with Tucker Carlson.
I can’t believe this is what it took to get him off the air. I hope he is now completely unemployable and will fall into a hole and disappear until his eventual arrest and prosecution.
I would hope he’s done but there’s the issue of all his kompromat. An unleashed whooten might be too scary for some,
Exactly. I think that’s why the media has been so quiet about him with the exception of the Guardian and Byline Times. Makes me wonder what he has on the BBC, ITV and all the rest. This is how he has insulated himself. He’s no dummy.
My only conclusion is that they were looking for an excuse and jumped on this.
Dying at the wooton update oh my god. Fox took such a turn, everytime he comes back in the news I always wonder how he hid that vile personality of his so well before.
He’s always been like that – its what cost him his marriage to Billie Piper and a good TV gig. He’s also a nepo baby as he comes from a famous British acting family – look them up, its our version of the Barrymore’s.
The Fox clan have always been problematic…Uncles James and Edward are well known reprobates in the thessy community. Just witness the interesting domestic problems of Emilia. They all had weird upbringings, inevitable that some of the wiring just isn’t right.
I did know about the nepo situation, we just don’t hear about his relatives as much but I guess that’s because that guy can’t shut up about anything and be gross in general.
@antipodean, what is the thessy community?
Hi @Golly Gee, bit late to reply to you,soss, only just saw your comment. The thessy community is that rarefied class of British actor who describe themselves as Thespians. Not your ordinary sort of actor at all, dontcha know! (Lashings of sarcasm involved, and usually unearned hubris).
The misogyny is breathtaking.
I think the timing is interesting,I wonder if his protection has been removed since murdoch is stepping down? They must have consulted with with someone since it took them almost 5hrs after fox was suspended. I hope Dan’s turns into a firing and we don’t hear from him for ever,
Murdoch doesn’t own GB News. He owns Talk TV.
Ava has said that Wootton was calling her late into the night trying to talk to her. She didn’t answer the phone. Wootton’s apology was disingenuous. GB News has been encouraging this misogyny since it started operating. Ava didn’t even say what he and Laurence Fox are of accusing her of saying.
Good for her. He’s a piece of shit.
The irony is that Ava Evans is gorgeous, smart and funny. There is a type of man who, because of their innate arrogance and self-obsession, can’t stand a successful woman who has all the qualities they admire, and they become jealous and spiteful because of it. You know who’s like that? Willnot the Magnificent. Wootton just sunk the tattered remnants of his *career* and toxic Fox’s audience will shrink down to nothing but incels and neck beards.
I came looking for this comment. As if the BIGGEST worry this woman or any woman has in her daily life would be whether or not that man considered her worthy enough for a shag. As if saying that to someone would crush their hopes and dreams. I would walk away from you in a bar? Please, in your dreams! De-centering men has really gotten to these guys.
De-Centering Men.
Yes, I’d like some more of that please!
Ugh. Yet again, a conservative asshat assumes that a powerful intelligent woman’s biggest concern is whether HE would want to sleep with HER.
News Flash – We know it hurts your lonely little boy’s heart to know that women have moved beyond wanting to snag your attention as a measure of our self-worth. The fact that this is what you focus on tells us all we need to know about you.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah I hope he never comes back on air, but why now?
I used to have the biggest crush on Fox and loved him on Inspector Lewis. He comes from a historic family of actors. Do they share his views too? WHAT THE FUXXX HAPPENED TO HIM? He goes on about how he won’t date “woke” women and now this??? I would never go there but I got to ask. How many women have rejected him in his past? How small is his “member” compared to his ego? You got to wonder where this obsessive hatred for women comes from…
He has been the primary source of Meghan hate recently since Piers has been somewhat gagged and I will celebrate this for the moment. But really hope this is the final straw
I had really enjoyed the various “Inspector” series and was floored to fnd out several years ago what an absolutely shameless, raging douche Laurence Fox is. He and Wooten are the worst. They’re perfect poster boys for toxic masculinity
Billie Piper was married to this idiot for several years and 2 children before dumping him. Hard to believe he could keep his true personality hidden for so long.
he’s turned to politics as no one would cast him. He couldn’t even get cast in a show playing the son of his real-life dad. That must take a supreme lack of talent.
I LOATHE when companies say ” doesn’t reflect our values” only when called out so publicly, and particularly in this case, these two have been on the air for YEARS, so the network knew EXACTLY who and what they were. And let them continue on for years. They reflected exactly their values and their standards, until the public backlash got too big and they realized they would be worse off for not doing anything.
When Laurence Fox was younger, he did another police procedural show (Midsomer? Foyle’s War?) where he played a Nazi wannabe. I thought at the time it was acting. I guess it was foreshadowing.
Foyle’s War.
I find it maddening that this is what it took to get these miscreants to stop fouling the air – but years of abusing Meghan, crickets. What’s the diff?
My guess: sadly, the fact that Ava Evans is white.
The journalist Ava Evans serves as a catalyst in Dan Wootton’s demise. This is his comeuppance.