Dan Wootton MailOn-line column suspended amid investigation into GB News host’s private conduct

Dan Wootton has mentioned he made “errors of judgment in the past”, whereas denying “criminal allegations”.

The 40-year-old journalist and broadcaster instructed viewers on his Tuesday night time GB News present that he has been the “target” of a “smear campaign”.

Wootton spoke about recognising that he’s a “polarising figure” and speaking to viewers might imply public consideration.

He mentioned: “As a journalist, I feel uncomfortable being the story but I’ve always promised you that this show has no spin and no bias and no censorship so I owe it to you to address this.”

The GB News presenter, who has written an everyday column for MailOn-line since 2021, claimed to be the sufferer of a “witch hunt” after being accused of utilizing pretend on-line identities to trick males into sending him express pictures for tens of 1000’s of kilos.

Wootton has denied any prison wrongdoing, though he has admitted to “errors of judgment in the past”.

The broadcaster, who hosted the Dan Wootton Tonight programme on GB News as scheduled on Thursday night time irrespective of the suspension, dismissed the allegations on his present final month as “simply untrue” and a “campaign to destroy my life”.

The allegations, first revealed final month by unbiased outlet Byline Times, embody claims about alleged behaviour whereas he edited The Sun‘s Bizarre column, as well as claims of payments for explicit images and videos.

A spokesperson for DMG Media, which publishes MailOn-line, mentioned: “We are continuing to consider a series of allegations which Dan Wootton – who has written columns for MailOnline since 2021 as one of several outside freelance contributors – has strenuously denied.

“The allegations are obviously serious but also complex and historic and there is an independent investigation under way at the media group which employed him during the relevant period.

“In the meantime, his freelance column with MailOnline has been paused.”

This seemingly easy query has been made problematic, in current days, by the allegations that the GB News presenter, and Daily Mail columnist, has been utilizing pretend on-line identities to trick males into sending him sexually express pictures in trade for tens of 1000’s of kilos. As he returned, defiant, to screens, stridently denying the claims, Wootton stared viewers lifeless within the eye. “So good to be back from my scheduled holiday in New Zealand, with my family,” he mentioned, the Union flag backdrop tessellating behind him. “It was really special actually, that family time, because, of course, they are the people who really know you.”

For these outdoors of the Wootton clan, right here’s the story of how a 12,000-mile journey internationally turned Wootton into one among Britain’s most well-sourced and salacious journalists – earlier than leaving him on the eye of the most recent storm.

Hot on the heels of an alleged intercourse scandal involving a Very Famous information presenter comes… an alleged intercourse scandal involving a Not Very Famous information presenter. You might have skilled the identical drawback with buses.

If you haven’t been paying consideration, GB News presenter Dan Wootton has come beneath hearth this week for allegedly utilizing pretend on-line identities to trick males into sending him sexually express pictures in trade for tens of 1000’s of kilos. Wootton has rejected the allegations as “simply untrue”, and has mentioned that he’s the sufferer of a “witch hunt”.

Let’s depart the alleged intercourse to 1 facet. Both circumstances contain contested claims of digital, or digital, encounters. The police say there was no criminality concerned with the Very Famous presenter – the BBC’s Huw Edwards – and it’s early doorways with Wootton. Each case teeters on the unsure boundary line between what well-padded fame administration attorneys would argue was personal. Or public, relying on who’s paying them.

Last month, Culture, Media and Sport Committee chairwoman Dame Caroline Dinenage wrote to The Sun requesting particulars of the newspaper’s investigation into Wootton.

The Sun’s editor Victoria Newton issued a letter in response which mentioned: “We take these allegations seriously but we are in no position to comment further and indeed we make no commitment to make any further comment depending on the outcome of our investigation.”

During his time at The Sun, Wootton was greatest identified for breaking tales together with Megxit – the withdrawal of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from royal duties.

In January 2021, he introduced he can be leaving his job as govt editor on the tabloid, the place he had beforehand edited The Sun’s Bizarre column.

Wootton additionally hosts his personal present on GB News, titled Dan Wootton Tonight, which explores day by day information tales and hosts interviews.

He was showbiz editor on the now-defunct News of the World and beforehand appeared on ITV’s Lorraine because the showbiz correspondent.

GB News presenter Dan Wootton’s MailOn-line column has been paused whereas the publication investigates allegations he used a pseudonym and provided colleagues cash for sexual materials.

Wootton has written an everyday column for the web outlet since 2021, together with his final article revealed on June 29.

Last month, the TV presenter and columnist used his self-titled GB News programme to confess he had made “errors of judgment” previously however branded the “criminal allegations” as “simply untrue”.

Following the claims, the publishers of MailOn-line and his earlier employers at The Sun newspaper mentioned they have been trying into allegations made in opposition to the New Zealand-born star.

A spokesperson for DMG Media, which publishes MailOn-line, instructed the PA information company: “We are continuing to consider a series of allegations which Dan Wootton – who has written columns for MailOnline since 2021 as one of several outside freelance contributors – has strenuously denied.

“The allegations are obviously serious but also complex and historic and there is an independent investigation underway at the media group which employed him during the relevant period.

“In the meantime, his freelance column with MailOnline has been paused.”