GB News, the UK-based channel, has suspended actor and commentator Laurence Fox while it conducts an investigation into comments he made during a broadcast, which have been deemed “totally unacceptable.” The controversy arose from remarks Fox made about Ava Evans, a political correspondent for the online news site Joe, during an episode of “Dan Wootton Tonight.”
During the broadcast, Fox made derogatory comments about Evans, including asking, “Who would want to shag that?” and referring to her as a “little woman.” Evans shared a clip of these comments on social media, which quickly garnered over 2.1 million views.
In response to the public outcry and backlash, GB News announced Fox’s suspension “effective immediately” and confirmed that he has been taken off air. The channel also expressed its intention to issue a formal apology to Ava Evans.
Fox, however, remains unapologetic and defiant in the face of criticism. In a lengthy statement on social media, he asserted that he “stands by every word” and made it clear that he would not offer a grovelling apology to the public. He defended his right to express his opinions freely and criticised what he termed the “woke world” for its lack of humour and propensity for offence.
The controversial discussion occurred after Ava Evans appeared on BBC’s “Politics Live” earlier in the week.
In an official statement posted on social media, GB News expressed its disapproval of Fox’s comments, stating, “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.”
Host Dan Wootton, who was part of the broadcast, also issued an apology to Ava Evans. He admitted that his reaction to Fox’s comments was inappropriate and emphasised that such remarks do not align with the channel’s principles.
Fox’s comments have incited widespread outrage, with public figures like TV presenter Carole Vorderman and Labour MP Dr. Rosena Allin-Khan condemning his behavior and calling for an investigation by the media regulator Ofcom. Ofcom has confirmed that it has received numerous complaints about Fox’s remarks and is evaluating them against its broadcast rules, with an outcome to be published soon.
