Dan Wootton MailOnline column suspended amid investigation into GB News host’s personal conduct – latest

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

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

Wootton spoke about recognising that he is a “polarising figure” and talking to viewers could mean public attention.

He said: “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 a regular column for MailOnline since 2021, claimed to be the victim of a “witch hunt” after being accused of using fake online identities to trick men into sending him explicit images for tens of thousands of pounds.

Wootton has denied any criminal wrongdoing, although 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 without reference to the suspension, dismissed the allegations on his show last month as “simply untrue” and a “campaign to destroy my life”.

The allegations, first published last month by independent outlet Byline Times, include claims about alleged behaviour while 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 MailOnline, said: “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 simple question has been made problematic, in recent days, by the allegations that the GB News presenter, and Daily Mail columnist, has been using fake online identities to trick men into sending him sexually explicit images in exchange for tens of thousands of pounds. As he returned, defiant, to screens, stridently denying the claims, Wootton stared viewers dead in the eye. “So good to be back from my scheduled holiday in New Zealand, with my family,” he said, 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 those outside of the Wootton clan, here’s the story of how a 12,000-mile journey across the world turned Wootton into one of Britain’s most well-sourced and salacious journalists – before leaving him at the eye of the latest storm.

Hot on the heels of an alleged sex scandal involving a Very Famous news presenter comes… an alleged sex scandal involving a Not Very Famous news presenter. You may have experienced the same problem with buses.

If you haven’t been paying attention, GB News presenter Dan Wootton has come under fire this week for allegedly using fake online identities to trick men into sending him sexually explicit images in exchange for tens of thousands of pounds. Wootton has rejected the allegations as “simply untrue”, and has said that he is the victim of a “witch hunt”.

Let’s leave the alleged sex to one side. Both cases involve contested claims of digital, or virtual, encounters. The police say there was no criminality involved with the Very Famous presenter – the BBC’s Huw Edwards – and it’s early doors with Wootton. Each case teeters on the uncertain boundary line between what well-padded reputation management lawyers would argue was private. Or public, depending on who’s paying them.

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

The Sun’s editor Victoria Newton issued a letter in response which said: “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 best known for breaking stories including Megxit – the withdrawal of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from royal duties.

In January 2021, he announced he would be leaving his job as executive editor at the tabloid, where he had previously edited The Sun’s Bizarre column.

Wootton also hosts his own show on GB News, titled Dan Wootton Tonight, which explores daily news stories and hosts interviews.

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

GB News presenter Dan Wootton’s MailOnline column has been paused while the publication investigates allegations he used a pseudonym and offered colleagues money for sexual material.

Wootton has written a regular column for the online outlet since 2021, with his last article published on June 29.

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

Following the claims, the publishers of MailOnline and his previous employers at The Sun newspaper said they were looking into allegations made against the New Zealand-born star.

A spokesperson for DMG Media, which publishes MailOnline, told the PA news agency: “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.”