GB News host Dan Wootton has seen his MailOnline column paused while the publication investigates allegations he used a pseudonym and offered colleagues money for sexual material.
Wootton, a former executive editor at the Sun, had 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”.
It came in response to a Byline Times investigation. On Thursday, that paper published the seventh part in what it has reported to be a three-year investigation into Wootton.
It alleged that the GB News host "used an identical password as the catfishing pseudonyms ‘Martin Branning’ and ‘Maria Joseph’" for his danwootton.com website.
The publishers of MailOnline and his previous employers at The Sun have said they are looking into allegations made against the New Zealand-born star.
GB News have continued to broadcast his show, Dan Wootton Tonight, which "promises no spin, no bias, no censorship".
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 under way at the media group which employed him during the relevant period.
“In the meantime, his freelance column with MailOnline has been paused.”
Last month, Culture, Media and Sport Committee chair 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.
He was showbiz editor at the now-defunct News of the World and previously appeared on ITV’s Lorraine as the showbiz correspondent.
