Laurence Fox widely condemned for ‘disgusting’ misogynistic GB News rant about journalist Ava Evans
Right-leaning channel has apologised and launched an investigation after Fox made a series of derogatory comments about Evans, while host Dan Wootton was also called out for failing to intervene
Laurence Fox has doubled down on his vile misogynistic rant about a female journalist in the wake of his suspension by GB News.
The former actor and Reclaim Party founder, 45, made a series of appalling comments about Ava Evans, a political correspondent for the online news site Joe, during an interview with presenter Dan Wootton on Tuesday night (26 September).
In the extraordinary segment, Fox called Evans a “little woman”, declaring: “Show me a single self-respecting man that would like to climb into bed with that woman ever, ever, who wasn’t an incel.”
His remarks led to widespread condemnation from a number of journalists, presenters and even his own GB News colleagues, while TV watchdog Ofcom announced that it was launching an investigation. But Fox has today stood by his remarks and appeared to put the blame back onto GB News producers, by revealing a series of text messages outlining what he had planned to discuss prior to the segment.
In a post to his social media accounts today, he wrote: “I stand by every word of what I said. “If a woman wants to go on television and belittle male suicide, she is totally within her rights to do so and not apologise, just as I am totally within my rights to say that I wouldn’t want to shag a hyper offended 4th wave feminist and not apologise, just as people are totally within their rights to be offended by my stating I would run a mile in the opposite direction from women like her, should our paths cross in a bar. It’s called free speech.”
During last night’s broadcast, host Dan Wootton failed to challenge his guest and laughed along to Fox’s comments, who continued: “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?”
Fox’s shocking comments came in response to Evans’ recent statements during an episode of BBC Politics Live on Monday (25 September) about male mental health.
Shortly after the rant, Evans shared the clip on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, with the caption: “Laurence Fox just did a whole speech on GB News on why men apparently won’t shag me ?”
In a follow-up tweet she added that the exchange made her feel “physically sick”.
After failing to intervene to stop Fox’s outburst, and chuckling when Fox asked, “who’d want to shag that?”, Wootton made a belated attempt to defend Ms Evans.
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He said: “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. Uh, yes. So there you go. And she’s a very beautiful woman Laurence, very beautiful.”
Reacting to the furious outcry to the remarks this morning, host Wooton apologised “unreservedly” and said he did not find the appalling rant amusing, but was instead reacting “out of shock and suprise”.
Wooton admitted he should have stopped Fox’s rant, adding “I should have intervened immediately to challenge offensive and misogynistic remarks.”
GB News has launched an investigation into the comments, calling them “totally unacceptable.”
Full transcript of Fox’s ugly rant
Fox: “Show me a single self-respecting man that would like to climb into bed with that woman - ever - who wasn’t an incel, a cucked little incel.
“That little woman has been spoon fed oppression day after day after day, starting with the lie of the gender wage gap. And she is sat there, and I’m going like ‘if I met you in a bar and that was, like, sentence three, (the) chances of me just walking away are just huge.’
“We need strong, powerful amazing women who make great points for themselves. We don’t need these feminist 4.0 (so called fourth wave feminists). They are pathetic and embarrassing. Who’d want to shag that?”
(Wootton chuckles at this point)
Wooton: “I’m just going to provide a touch of balance for her, because she did actually respond to this earlier today saying that she regretted her comments, but she didn’t apologise,” he said.
“And she’s a very beautiful woman, Laurence, a very beautiful woman.”
Fox has been repeatedly involved in controversies over his public comments and political stance. In September 2019, he launched his Reclaim political party to fight so-called “culture wars” and lead people who are “tired of being told that we represent the very thing we have, in history, stood together against”.
GB News has also been embroiled in numerous scandals since its launch in 2021. Fox’s diatribe comes just days after the channel said it will not investigate claims of inappropriate behaviour made against Wootton, because none of the accusations relate to his work there.
The comments section under her post is filled with support for Evans and disbelief at Fox.
Presenter Carol Vorderman shared: “There is seemingly no bar too low for the so called news channel GB News.”
“All my love and solidarity,” wrote columnist Owen Jones. “If Ofcom don’t take action against this nauseating unapologetic misogyny they should just pack up and shut themselves down.”
“Christ this is vile. Solidarity xx,” wrote The Mirror’s deputy political editor Lizzy Buchan.
Journalist Richard Godwin commented: “Jesus Christ. That man is just beneath contempt. I’m so sorry.”
“They’ve done it,” another commenter wrote. “They’ve actually done it. GB News haven’t just crossed the line… they’ve flown past it and landed four studios away. Obviously nothing will actually be done, because that’s where we are now with this shower. A letter from Ofcom coming up. They’re bricking it.”
“Disgusting,” said a sixth critic, while a seventh added: “Desperately sorry this is happening to you. It’s targeted harassment... I expect Laurence Fox won’t have a job after this. This is a shocking low point, even for GB News. Boundaries massively transgressed and any GB News staff who stay silent on this are complicit.”
A member of the on-screen team at GB News told The Independent: “We had an otherwise excellent day of exclusives on Tuesday, but the only conversation about GB News now is what Laurence Fox said last night. His targeted misogynistic ramblings are tarnishing our hard work. It’s inexcusable and repulsive.”
The Independent has contacted GB News and representatives for Evans, Fox and Wootton for further comment.