MailOnline has sacked columnist Dan Wootton, a spokesperson for the news site’s parent company said.
Wootton was the host on his eponymous GB News show earlier this week when guest Laurence Fox made a number of misogynist and offensive remarks about a journalist, sparking immediate outrage.
On Thursday afternoon Ofcom confirmed they had launched an investigation into the broadcast after roughly 7,300 complaints were made to the regulator.
Wootton has apologised and tried to distance himself from Fox’s remarks but Fox himself has shared messages that appear to show Wootton enjoyed the broadcast.
A spokesperson for DMG Media, the parent company of MailOnline, said: “Following events this week, DMG Media can confirm that Dan Wootton’s freelance column with MailOnline – which had already been paused – has now been terminated, along with his contract.”
Wootton has been suspended from his role at GB News as the broadcaster investigates the remarks.
During the broadcast Fox asked what “self-respecting man” would “climb into bed” with PoliticsJOE reporter Ava Evans during a discussion about political news.
He went on to say: “That little woman has been fed, spoon-fed oppression day after day after day...
“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 would want to shag that?”
Ms Evans said she was “really hurt” by Fox’s comments, which have been described as “unacceptable, unjustifiable and indefensible”.
She also described received threatening messages in a “really nasty” past 24 hours since the incident.
Ofcom has launched an investigation into Tuesday’s episode.
The regulator said it was investigating under Rule 2.3 of the Broadcasting Code which states when “applying generally accepted standards broadcasters must ensure that material which may cause offence is justified by the context”.
GB News has suspended Fox, who is also a presenter on the channel, but he has made no apology or expressed remorse.
In a tweet, Fox said “honesty is the best policy” and posted messages showing Wootton apparently using laughing emojis, writing of the exchange: “Can you imagine them freaking out in the Gallery!!!!!” as Fox replied: “So much fun. xx.”
Wootton said in an apology that he “regretted” the interview and should have intervened to challenge Fox.
The channel called the insult “totally unacceptable” and said it was conducting a full investigation.
Separately, Wootton is facing allegations from Byline Times that he duped former colleagues at The Sun into sending him sexually explicit images of themselves for cash. He has strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
He was already suspsended from his MailOnline column due to the aforementioned allegations prior to his sacking on Thursday.
