TV presenter Dan Wootton has admitted “errors of judgment” but denied “criminal allegations”.
He used his self-titled GB News show to brand claims that he used a pseudonym and offered colleagues money for sexual material “simply untrue”.
The publishers of MailOnline, where he writes a column, and his previous employers at The Sun newspaper said they are looking into allegations made against the New Zealand-born star.
Wootton, 40, said: “I, like all fallible human beings, have made errors of judgment in the past but the criminal allegations being made against me are simply untrue.
“I would like nothing more than to address those spurious claims, I could actually spend the next two hours doing so, but on the advice of my lawyers I cannot comment further.”
He told viewers that “highly politicised” social media has made him understand the “political threats facing this country”.
Speaking about GB News on his Dan Wootton Tonight show, he added: “What we’re trying to do here is something different, to give a voice to the long-forgotten people of the United Kingdom.”
In his six-minute opening monologue he described social media as a “cesspit”.
Wootton, who is known for his role in breaking the story of Megxit – the withdrawal of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from royal duties – announced in January 2021 that he would be leaving his job as executive editor at The Sun, where he previously edited the paper’s Bizarre column.
He has since become a columnist for MailOnline, owned by DMG Media, which also publishes the Daily Mail and Metro newspapers.
He was previously showbiz editor at the News of the World and appeared on ITV’s Lorraine as their showbiz correspondent, and was named Showbiz Reporter of the Year at the British Press Awards on three occasions.
A DMG Media spokesman said: “We are aware of the allegations and are looking into them.”
A spokesman for News UK, publisher of The Sun, said: “We are looking into the allegations made in recent days. We are not able to make any further comment at this stage.”
Wootton returned to GB News on Monday, telling viewers he took a break last week to see family in New Zealand.
GB News declined to comment.
