Ofcom has summoned GB News to its offices after ruling a programme on the right-wing opinion channel hosted by Dan Wootton and featuring Laurence Fox was in breach of its programming code.
The regulator said it had “significant concerns about GB News’ editorial control of its live output” following the edition of Dan Wootton Tonight, during which Fox, the actor and political activist, made misogynistic comments about the female political journalist Ava Evans.
Ofcom has told GB News it wants “further detailed information about its compliance practices” after ruling the comments against Ms Evans were neither “sufficiently challenged or otherwise contextualised”. Its found GB News to be in breach of Rule 2.3, which covers harm and offence.
Ofcom received 8,867 complaints about the programme broadcast on GB News on 26 September 2023. The following day an edition of Mark Dolan Tonight was broadcast in place of Dan Wootton Tonight which referred to the programme the previous evening. Ofcom says it has taken account of the relevant parts of both of these programmes in reaching its decision.
In the discussion, Fox said: “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…
“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?”
Ms Evans later said the comments had made her feel “disgusting” and “vile”.
Both Fox and Wootton were suspended by GB News following the broadcast.
In a Preliminary View, Ofcom said Wootton’s reaction to Fox’s comments “exacerbated the potential for offence”, In a statement issued to Ofcom through his solicitors, Wootton said“that he certainly did not laugh at Mr Fox’s comments… in the manner of someone who had found them to be funny”. Mr Wootton expressed that he “felt considerable discomfort and embarrassment” at Mr Fox’s comments. Wootton added that he “grimaced uneasily” and hurried to provide balance to what Ms Evans had said and followed this up by complimenting Ms Evans “on her beauty”.
He added “did not receive advice in his earpiece by the production team” as GB News have “inaccurately represented to Ofcom”. Wootton explained that he was only told once to provide “some sense of balance” by a member of the production team.
GB News advised Ofcom that it was making changes to its approach to compliance as well as introducing a new series of compliance training and refresher sessions.
However, Ofcom noted there was no immediate apology in the programme, which the Licensee accepted “should have been made”, nor was an apology made later in the programme. This meant that the potentially high level of offence caused to the programme’s viewers was not mitigated.
