Laurence Fox to set record straight in new video as he refuses to back down in sexism row

Besieged broadcaster Laurence Fox has vowed to set the record straight in a new video as he refuses to back down to critics in a sexism row.

The actor, 45, has remained defiant after it was announced by GB News today that he had been “formally suspended” and “taken off air” the channel following comments made on the Dan Wootton show last night.

During a discussion with Mr Wootton, Mr Fox made a series of remarks about Ava Evans, the political correspondent for online news site Joe, including asking: “Who would want to shag that?”

GB News said in their statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, that they would be “apologising formally to Ms Evans” over the comments. Mr Wootton took to the social media site today to say he wanted “apologise unreservedly” for a “very unfortunate lapse in judgement” over the segment.

Reacting to Mr Fox’s remarks, Evans told Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine show that she was “really hurt” and “shocked” that the segment was broadcast following her saying that she would “rather be judged or asked” about her work than body.

Responding to the backlash over his comments, Mr Fox has so far said he stands “by every word” writing on X to his more than 400,000 followers.

He posted: “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.”

Adding that “the new woke world is low on laughter and high on offence”, he said it was still worth “trying to find the lighter moments in this joyless new cancel culture which has been created for us”.

Ms Evans, a former producer at LBC, shared a clip of the comments on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, where her handle is AvaSantina, with the caption: “Laurence Fox just did a whole speech on GB News on why men apparently won’t shag me?” which has been viewed more than five million times as of Wednesday morning.

In a follow-up tweet to her nearly 100,000 followers she added that the footage made her feel “physically sick”.

The discussion on GB News came after Ms Evans had appeared on BBC’s Politics Live on Monday.

Tuesday night’s comments drew strong reactions, with Conservative MP Philip Davies, who hosts a show on GB News, saying in a statement: “Laurence Fox’s disgraceful remarks were completely unacceptable, unjustifiable and indefensible.”