Kiwi journalist Dan Wootton has been suspended from right-wing news channel GB News over misogynistic comments made on his show.
It follows a Tuesday night (Wednesday morning NZT) broadcast on the Dan Wootton Tonight programme where fellow GB News host Laurence Fox said of journalist Ava Evans, "We don't need these sorts of feminist 4.0. They're pathetic and embarrassing. Who'd want to shag that?"
Evans had made comments about men's mental health, but instead of discussing her arguments Fox had focused on her appearance and why he'd ignore her in a bar.
Wootton laughed but later apologised, saying in a statement that he reacted "out of shock and surprise".
He wrote on X formerly known as Twitter, "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."
Fox, however, stood by his comments, writing on X, "I stand by every word of what I said."
Wootton, 40, was suspended hours after the former actor, pending an investigation.
In a statement today, the news channel said, "GB News has suspended Dan Wootton following comments made on his programme by Laurence Fox last night. This follows our decision earlier today to formally suspend Mr Fox. We are conducting a full investigation."
The journalist is currently under investigation by MailOnline and former employer News UK over allegations he used a pseudonym to offer his colleagues money for sexually explicit material.
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