The female journalist who was the subject of Laurence Fox ’s vile rant on GB News has said she is “really hurt” by the comments made by the former actor.
“I’m shocked by it, I’m really shocked that it went out,” Ava Evans told Jeremy Vine on his Channel 5 show this morning. “Actually, do you know this is the sort of talk that you worry that men have about you when you are not in the room.” The political journalist has since gone on to tell her Twitter followers: “I haven’t had an apology yet if anyone was wondering.”
Fox appeared on Dan Wootton Tonight on Tuesday night, during which the actor turned aspiring politician made several crude and derogatory remarks about journalist Ms Evans . During the broadcast, Fox described Ms Evans as a “little woman” and declared: “We don’t need these sort of feminist 4.0” who, he said, are “pathetic and embarrassing”, adding: “Who would want to shag that?”
The comments from Fox sparked a furious backlash online – with Ms Evans telling her Twitter (aka X) followers she felt physically sick following the broadcast – and host Wootton issuing an apology . This morning, just minutes before his suspension was announced by GB News, Fox took to Twitter to stand by his comments and refuse to issue “a grovelling apology”.
Female GB News stars speak out
Several women who regularly appear on GB News have spoken out in support of Ms Evans following Fox’s vile comments.
Presenter Camilla Tominey this morning quote-tweeted GB News’ statement announcing Fox’s suspension, adding: “The right decision. Exercise your right to free speech by all means, but do it with a sense of decency. This wasn’t fair comment, it was just appalling misogyny.”
Freelance journalist Ellie Phillips, who often appears on GB News as a showbiz correspondent, shared a clip of Fox and Wootton’s conversation last night and tweeted: “This is abhorrent, reprehensible & completely unacceptable. I am revolted.
“No woman should ever be spoken about like this. The misogyny is sickening & I urge @GBNews to take swift, decisive action. I’m so sorry, @AvaSantina. I stand in complete solidarity with you.”
GB News staff Emily Carver also shared the resignation announcement from the channel’s Twitter account this morning, adding: “Disgusting comments. Relieved GB News has taken this action, and swiftly.” As did presenter Olivia Utley, who wrote: “Vile, unacceptable comments from Laurence Fox. Being a woman in the media is tough enough already, no one should have to put up with this. Very glad the channel is taking it seriously.”
Ava Evans says ‘I haven’t had an apology yet’
JeremyVineOn5/Twitter)
Ms Evans has said she is yet to receive an apology following Fox’s comments on GB News last night.
Taking to Twitter within the last 30 mins, after her appearance on The Jeremy Vine Show earlier today, the journalist told her followers: “I haven’t had an apology yet if anyone was wondering.”
In an additional tweet, Ms Evans added: “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.”
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg claims he hasn’t seen or heard Fox’s comments
GB News presenter Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has said he had not seen the comments made on air by Laurence Fox about a female journalist.
Speaking to the PA news agency at Windsor Castle after receiving his knighthood he said: “No I haven’t seen his comments last night.I understand he has been suspended from GB News and we can see the outcome of that, but no I don’t know the details.”
Footage of Fox’s comments is still being widely circulated on social media and heavily reported in the press. Mr Rees-Mogg and others are able to watch the segment from Fox and Wootton’s broadcast here.
Fox branded ‘vile neanderthal’ by Scotland First Minister
Scotland First Minister has branded Fox a “vile neanderthal”. Humza Yousaf took aim at both Fox and Wootton on Twitter earlier today.
Mr Yousaf said: “What a vile neanderthal @LozzaFox is, and an example of bystander behaviour enabling such misogyny from the presenter. I’m so sorry @AvaSantina had to listen to this. It is why men have to step up and challenge misogynistic abuse wherever we see it. Pleased Ofcom investigating.”
Within 10 minutes, Fox hit back, saying: “The feeling is entirely mutual, you vile Neanderthal.” The former actor’s post included a clip of Mr Yousaf speaking at Holyrood while justice secretary, pointing out that the majority of those in powerful positions in Scotland were white.
Owen Jones calls on GB News to ‘take against Wootton’
Journalist Owen Jones, who routinely appears on The Jeremy Vine Show, has called on GB News to take action against its presenter Wootton.
Quote-tweeting Fox’s tweet this morning, in which Fox shared a screenshot of messages seemingly between himself and Wootton, Owen wrote: “Thanks to Laurence Fox throwing him under a bus, we can see Dan Wootton lied through his teeth about being unamused by Fox’s misogyny.So what action are you going to take against Wootton, @GBNEWS?”
Wootton last tweeted at 7.40am this morning, prior to Fox’s tweets and GB News suspending the former actor. The New Zealand born journalist told his followers: “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.
“I reacted as I did out of shock and surprise in an off guard moment while working out how to respond as he continued to speak by searching for tweets @AvaSantina had sent earlier in the day while having them read out in my ear at the same time. However, I should have intervened immediately to challenge offensive and misogynistic remarks.
“I apologise unreservedly for what was a very unfortunate lapse in judgement on my part under the intense pressure of a bizarre exchange. I know I should have done better. I’m devastated that I let down the team and our supportive GBN family. We seek to tackle the issue and not the person, which I intend to stress again on air tonight.”
Fox takes swipe at Dan Wootton as he shares messages and tells him ‘be honest’
As GB News announced they were investigating the incident from Tuesday night’s show, host Wootton took to his social media to issue a lengthy apology, berating his ‘unacceptable’ response to Fox’s comments. Fox has now hit out at the response by seemingly sharing an alleged conversation between the two men.
The messages appear to show Fox tell Wootton: “Making you giggle is my weekly joy,” as the recipient replies: “You can imagine them freaking out in the gallery!!!” alongside three laughing emojis. See the screenshots and read the full story here.
Fox’s vilest remarks from GB News ‘shag’ slur to Billie Piper ‘tweet’
Fox has made numerous vile and deeply offensive remarks over the years, including burning LGBTQ+ bunting during Pride month and making disgusting comments about race.
A member of the entertainment industry’s Fox family, the controversial political commentator was once better known for his roles in Hollywood films like The Hole, in which he starred alongside Keira Knightley.
However, since appearing on Question Time in January 2020, Fox’s career as an actor has stalled and the man who was once married to Billie Piper is now a right-wing commentator – admitting to being “totally radicalised” him against “woke culture” and “political correctness”. Read all about Fox’s vilest moments over recent years here.
Fox rejects interviews requests unless ‘live and unedited’
Amid his suspension from GB News being announced, Fox is having a very active morning on social media.
Taking to Twitter (aka X) just moments ago, the former actor told his followers: “I have been approached by every MSM channel today asking for an interview. I have said I will do any interview they like as long as it’s live and unedited. Their interest wanes when they realise I am not interested in having them spin a narrative via dodgy editing.”
Gary Lineker joins stars slamming Fox
Gary Lineker has joined the likes of Piers Morgan and Carol Vorderman in slamming Fox after his vile rant aimed at a female journalist aired on GB News on Tuesday evening.
The Match of the Day presenter shared a clip of the rant on X – formerly Twitter – and simply wrote: “Revolting!”. Fox has also since been condemned by multiple MPs following his appearance on Dan Wootton Tonight. Media regulator Ofcom has confirmed that they have received “a number of complaints” regarding the rant.
Read more here.
Questions raised about Tory MPs appearing on GB News
Amid Fox’s suspension, a debate regarding whether Conservative Party MPs should appear on GB News has kicked off. The opinion-led TV channel currently employs Conservative Party deputy chairman Lee Anderson, former Cabinet minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, and Esther McVey and Philip Davies.
Asked whether that is right, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer told ITV’s Good Morning Britain earlier today: “Well, yes, because there is a broadcasting code which identifies the rules of broadcasting and that does allow presenters who are MPs to take part in current affairs programmes.
“There are specific issues that have been taken to Ofcom in relation to particular programmes and I know that Ofcom is coming to conclusions on those particular issues.”
She dodged a question on whether Mr Anderson should consider axing his £100,000-a-year GB News show, saying: “I think I’ve made my position clear that those comments were inappropriate and unacceptable. “And I’m pleased that the channel has apologised and I know that Ofcom will be looking into this.”
Piers Morgan brands Fox ‘disgusting piece of misogynistic trash’
Piers Morgan was one of the first big names to slam Fox over the former actor’s comments about Ms Evans, with the TalkTV presenter branding Fox a “disgusting piece of misogynistic trash.”
In a tweet shared with his followers just after midnight, former Good Morning Britain presenter Piers wrote: “Ava is a very talented journalist and delightful person. Fox is a disgusting piece of misogynist trash.”
Carol Vorderman has also slammed Fox on Twitter, calling on her followers to report Tuesday night’s GB News broadcast to media regulator Ofcom. “There is seemingly no bar too low for the so called news channel GB News,” Carol wrote within one of her many tweets about the controversy.
What did Fox say on GB News?
Twitter)
During the GB News broadcast on Tuesday night, Wootton and Fox discussed Ms Evans comments made by the former LBC producer during her appearance BBC Politics Live on Monday, with the journalist attracting attention due to her remarks about men’s mental health. Following her appearance on the BBC show, Ms Evans tweeted: “I was a little rash on my anti-minister for men comments which I do regret and am actually very interested in a brief for a minister on young men’s mental health.”
Speaking via video link, 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, who wasn’t an Incel?
“That little woman has been fed, spoon-fed oppression day after day after day… starting with the lie of the gender wage gap, and she’s sat there and I’m going, if I met you in a bar and that was like sentence three, 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?”
Giggling, Wootton replied: “Well, look, she, I’m just going to provide a touch of balance from her because she did actually respond to this earlier today, saying that she regretted her comments but she didn’t apologise.” The New Zealand born broadcaster added: “And she’s a very beautiful woman, Laurence, very beautiful woman.” Read more here.
Ava Jones speaks to Jeremy Vine regarding Fox’s comments
Journalist Ava Evans has said that she’s “really hurt” over Laurence Fox’s gross remarks “about her body rather than her work”.
Evans, the political correspondent for online news site Joe, told Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine show: “I’m really hurt by it… I’m shocked about by it, I’m shocked that it went out.
“Do you know this is the sort of talk that you worry that men have about you when you’re not in the room. There is always sort of a worry in the back of your mind which is: ‘Are people actually interested in what I’m saying or what I’m doing?’
“Or are they just looking at me… physically and I think that that clip proves that there are some men who are.”
Laurence Fox suspended by GB News over comments on Dan Wootton show
GB News said this morning in a statement on X, formerly Twitter: “GB News has formally suspended Laurence Fox while we continue our investigation into comments he made on the channel last night. Mr Fox’s suspension is effective immediately and he has been taken off air. We will be apologising formally to Ms Evans today.”
Read more here .
Laurence Fox claims GB News knew what he was going to say
Laurence Fox claims he informed GB News producers about what he planned to say ahead of appearing on Dan Wootton’s show last night.
Following GB News confirming the former actor has been suspended by the channel, Fox took to Twitter this morning to slam the broadcaster for announcing his suspension via social media – claiming GB News “knew exactly what I intended to say” as he shared a screenshot of a text message conversation seemingly between himself and a producer.
Read more here .
