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Dan Wootton

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Dan Wootton
Wootton in 2024
Born
Daniel John William Wootton

(1983-03-02) 2 March 1983 (age 41)
Wellington, New Zealand
Citizenship
  • New Zealand
  • United Kingdom
Alma materVictoria University of Wellington
Occupations
  • Journalist
  • broadcaster
Websitehttps://www.danwoottonoutspoken.com/

Daniel John William Wootton (born 2 March 1983)[1] is a New Zealand and British journalist and broadcaster.

In 2007, he joined the News of the World. In 2013, he joined The Sun on Sunday and became editor of the "Bizarre" column the following year. In February 2016, he joined The Sun, under the editorship of Victoria Newton, as associate editor and in March 2018 progressed to executive editor.[2] Wootton has made appearances as a show business presenter on the ITV Breakfast shows Lorraine and Daybreak. From 2015 to 2018, he was also a regular contributor and panelist on Big Brother's Bit on the Side. In 2021 Wootton left News UK to join the MailOnline as a columnist and present a show, four days a week, on GB News.[3]

Wootton was suspended from GB News in September 2023 following an incident in which sexually disparaging comments were made on his show by guest Laurence Fox about journalist Ava Evans, which were described by the channel as "totally unacceptable". Wootton apologised and said that he should have intervened.[4] His contract with MailOnline was subsequently terminated and Ofcom opened an investigation into the incident, which concluded that the show breached their broadcasting rules.[5][6][7]

Wootton announced on Twitter his departure from GB News to launch an independent platform, Dan Wootton Outspoken, a day after Ofcom's report was released on 4 March 2024.[8][9][10]

Early life

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Daniel John William Wootton was born in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1983 to British parents; his mother was born in Basildon, Essex and his father was born on a British army base in Malta.[11] Wootton grew up in Lower Hutt, and attended Naenae College and Victoria University of Wellington, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in media studies and political science.[12][13][14]

Career

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Wootton started his career as a journalist in New Zealand, writing an entertainment column for the Wellington-based broadsheet newspaper The Dominion Post and reporting for the daily television show Good Morning.[15] He emigrated to the United Kingdom when he was 21 and, after a period working for trade magazines, joined Broadcast magazine.[16]

Wootton joined the News of the World TV team in February 2007,[17] becoming TV editor in November 2007,[18] and show-business editor from November 2008 until its closure in July 2011;[15][19] he then became a columnist and feature writer for the Daily Mail and editor-at-large for Now magazine.[20][21] He later testified to the Leveson Inquiry in 2012 about the News International phone hacking scandal, denying illegally publishing stories collected through phone hacking while an editor at the News of the World.[22][23]

In 2013, Wootton joined The Sun newspaper, launching a new column on Sundays.[24] He became editor of the newspaper's Bizarre column in 2014,[25] and was promoted to associate editor (showbiz and TV) in 2016.[26] He was named 'Showbiz reporter of the year' at the 2010, 2013 and 2018 British Press Awards.[27][28] Wootton also made appearances as a showbiz reporter on ITV's morning show Lorraine between 2011 and 2019, and was a guest on BBC Radio 5 Live.[20]

In 2015, Wootton and The Sun received widespread criticism for an article he wrote for the newspaper entitled "Hollywood HIV Panic". HIV policy adviser Lisa Power called it "vile" and expressed disappointment that Wootton had "lent his name to such a shameful piece", saying that it reinforced stigma against people with HIV.[29] British HIV charity the Terrence Higgins Trust called it "irresponsible",[30] while The BMJ, a peer-reviewed medical journal, also criticised the article.[31]

Wootton hosted a weekly talkRADIO show called Dan's Dilemmas from March 2018 and, in February 2020, took over the station's drivetime show, replacing Eamonn Holmes.[32][33][34]

Wootton has been credited with breaking the story about Megxit in The Sun on 8 January 2020, which prompted Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, to announce within hours their plans for stepping back from their royal duties.[35] Wootton stated that he had been in contact with the couple's spokesperson on 28 December and gave them ten days' notice before the story broke, despite facing pressure from royal officials not to run the piece.[35] Sources close to the couple later told The New York Times that they "felt forced to disclose their plans prematurely" as they learned about The Sun's intentions to publish the story.[35] Wootton disputed the allegation as "they released the statement after we had published the story and had so much notice."[35]

In July 2020, libel proceedings brought by Johnny Depp against Wootton and News Group Newspapers began in the High Court of Justice in the case of Depp v News Group Newspapers Ltd. The action related to an article published in 2018 in The Sun describing Depp as a "wife beater".[36][37] On 2 November 2020, the court ruled in favour of News Group. Mr Justice Nicol found that assaults were proven to the civil standard in 12 of the 14 incidents reported by Amber Heard,[38] and he concluded that The Sun's article was substantially accurate on the balance of probabilities.[39] In 2022, Depp sued Heard in a separate defamation trial in the United States. This case had a different outcome, with the jury finding that Depp had proven all the elements of defamation, including that the statements were false, and that Heard defamed Depp with actual malice.[40]

In January 2021, Wootton announced that he would leave The Sun and talkRADIO to become a columnist for MailOnline and present a daily show, four days a week, on GB News.[3] In November 2021, his GB News programme, Tonight Live with Dan Wootton, was rebranded to Dan Wootton Tonight and shortened from three to two hours.[41]

In February 2022, Andrew Brady, a former Apprentice contestant and ex-fiancé of Caroline Flack, was jailed for four months for harassing Wootton and making false accusations which the judge described as "deeply unpleasant nonsense".[42]

On 26 September 2023, whilst appearing as a guest on Dan Wootton Tonight, fellow GB News presenter Laurence Fox made sexually disparaging comments about journalist Ava Evans of the news website Joe that the broadcaster deemed "totally unacceptable". Wootton, who could be seen laughing at points as Fox spoke, subsequently apologised, saying he should have intervened and had reacted "out of shock".[43] Following the apology, private messages between Fox and Wootton, shared by Fox on Twitter, appeared to show Wootton reacting to the incident on GB News with laughing emojis.[44] Fox was sacked by GB News following the incident[45] and Wootton was suspended pending an internal investigation.[4] Ofcom, the government's broadcasting regulatory body, opened an investigation into the incident. The regulator received nearly 9,000 complaints about the episode in question – the highest number of complaints received of any broadcast on British television during 2023.[6][5][46] On 28 September 2023, whilst already suspended, DMG Media terminated Wootton's contract and freelance column at MailOnline.[5][6] On 4 March 2024, Ofcom concluded that the show in September 2023 did breach their rules and that Fox's remarks "constituted a highly personal attack on Ms Evans and were potentially highly offensive to viewers", adding that Wootton's reaction and limited challenge "did not mitigate the potential for offence" and instead "exacerbated it by contributing to the narrative in which a woman's value was judged by her physical appearance".[47] In July 2024, Ofcom discontinued a fairness and privacy complaint about another episode of Dan Wootton Tonight in which he had stated that he was the target of a smear campaign.[48]

On 5 March 2024, Wootton announced that he had left GB News to launch an independent platform, Dan Wootton Outspoken.[49]

Allegations by Byline Times

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From July 2023, allegations were published against Wootton in Byline Times of inappropriate and criminal conduct, including catfishing former colleagues and orchestrating non-consensual voyeurism of victims using male pornographic actors.[50] Wootton denied any criminality and asserted that he was the victim of a smear campaign.[51] MailOnline suspended Wootton's freelance column pending an investigation.[52] In early October 2023, the Metropolitan Police confirmed they had commenced an investigation into the allegations.[53] On 21 February 2024 the Metropolitan Police said that they would not be taking any further action. Wootton said that he had been "completely cleared".[54][55][56] News UK and DMG Media's separate investigations into Wootton's behaviour remain ongoing as of February 2024.[57] On 3 October 2023, Press Gazette reported that newspapers, including The Guardian and the Mirror, had removed stories from their news websites after being threatened with legal action by Wootton.[58] On 28 February 2024, The Guardian published an apology to Wootton for its article the previous October and stated that they "paid a contribution to Mr Wootton's costs".[59][60]

Personal life

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In 2013, Wootton announced on his Twitter account that he is gay.[61] In March 2023, Wootton confirmed that he was in a relationship with Alan Longair.[62]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Wootton, Dan [@danwootton] (2 March 2023). "Best possible end to my 40th birthday! Thank you..." (Tweet). Retrieved 27 July 2023 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Tobitt, Charlotte (14 March 2018). "The Sun promotes former head of showbiz Dan Wootton to executive editor". Press Gazette. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  3. ^ a b Rajan, Amol (28 January 2021). "Dan Wootton leaves News UK for GB News and Mail Online". BBC News. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  4. ^ a b "GB News suspends Wootton after Fox comments". BBC News. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "MailOnline terminates Dan Wootton's contract". The Guardian. 28 September 2023.
  6. ^ a b c "GB News latest: Ofcom investigates channel as MailOnline sacks Dan Wootton". The Independent. 28 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Dan Wootton: GB News show with Laurence Fox breached rules, Ofcom says". BBC News. 4 March 2024. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  8. ^ "Dan Wootton leaves GB News to launch his own 'independent platform'". Sky News. 5 March 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  9. ^ Knox, Susan; Delaney, Zoe (5 March 2024). "Dan Wootton issues statement as he exits GB News amid Ofcom ruling". The Mirror. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Misogynistic comments on Dan Wootton Tonight broke offence rules". Ofcom. 4 March 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Who is Dan Wootton? The Kiwi at the centre of the Johnny Depp libel case". NZ Herald. 7 July 2020.
  12. ^ Manson, Bess (29 January 2011). "Dan Wootton". New Zealand Listener. Retrieved 22 March 2016. Raised in Avalon in Lower Hutt and educated at Naenae College and Victoria University...
  13. ^ "Inspiring Kiwi". Television New Zealand. 2010. Archived from the original on 6 December 2010.
  14. ^ "Roll of graduates". Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  15. ^ a b Gallagher, Rachael (7 November 2008). "Dan Wootton starts as NoW showbiz columnist". Press Gazette.
  16. ^ Everett, Charlotte (11 August 2013). "How NZer Dan Wootton became a UK household name". NZNEWSUK. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  17. ^ Brook, Stephen (30 January 2007). "Hamilton jumps showbiz ship". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 March 2016. And Broadcast reporter Dan Wootton is to join Rachel Richardson's TV team at the News of the World.
  18. ^ Brook, Stephen (23 November 2007). "Dickinson becomes NoW US editor". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 March 2016. The News of the World also said today it had promoted Dan Wootton, who joined the News of the World in February, to be TV editor.
  19. ^ "NoW showbiz editor Dan Wootton: Nobody expected this". BBC News. 7 July 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  20. ^ a b Sweney, Mark (31 October 2011). "Dan Wootton to join Daily Mail". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  21. ^ Burrell, Ian (19 December 2011). "News of the World outcasts still appear to have their friends in prime places". The Independent.
  22. ^ "Leveson Inquiry: NOTW editor 'never used phone hacking'". BBC News. 6 February 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  23. ^ "News of the World's Kiwi showbiz editor speaks out". Stuff. 25 July 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  24. ^ Halliday, Josh (5 July 2013). "Dan Wootton to join the Sun on Sunday". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  25. ^ Conlan, Tara (3 July 2014). "Sun appoints showbiz columnist Dan Wootton to edit revamped Bizarre". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  26. ^ Greenslade, Roy (8 March 2016). "Gordon Smart leaves Scotland to be the Sun's deputy editor". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 March 2016. Dan Wootton has been promoted to associate editor (showbiz and TV) and will be responsible for running the Bizarre column plus a new section called Bizarre TV.
  27. ^ "British Press Awards 2010: Full list of winners". Press Gazette. 24 March 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  28. ^ "The Guardian crowned newspaper of the year at Press Awards – full list of winners". Press Gazette. 2 April 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  29. ^ "Reporting on HIV like it's the 1980s will only help the virus spread". The Independent. 11 November 2015.
  30. ^ "The Sun claims Hollywood is 'panicking' about an actor having HIV". The Independent. 11 November 2015.
  31. ^ Kirkham, Deborah (13 November 2015). "Sun shows how not to report a case of HIV". The BMJ. 351: h6147. doi:10.1136/bmj.h6147. PMID 26567134. S2CID 41635715.
  32. ^ Forster, Lucy (19 March 2018). "Showbiz reporter Dan Wootton joins talkRADIO". Digital Radio UK.
  33. ^ Tobitt, Charlotte (27 January 2020). "Sun's Dan Wootton takes over Talkradio drivetime slot from Eamonn Holmes". Press Gazette. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  34. ^ "Eamonn Holmes replaced by Dan Wootton on talkRADIO". RadioToday. 24 January 2020.
  35. ^ a b c d Mayhew, Freddy (30 September 2022). "Harry and Meghan are 'professional victims' says Sun journalist who broke royal split story". Press Gazette. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  36. ^ "Johnny Depp's libel case against The Sun begins". BBC News. 7 July 2020.
  37. ^ "Johnny Depp's reputation on line as libel trial set to begin". The Guardian. 7 July 2020.
  38. ^ Davies, Caroline; Bowcott, Owen (2 November 2020). "Johnny Depp trial: how the judge ruled on 14 alleged assaults". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  39. ^ Bowcott, Owen; Davies, Caroline (2 November 2020). "Johnny Depp loses libel case against Sun over claims he beat ex-wife Amber Heard". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  40. ^ Helmore, Edward (1 June 2022). "Depp-Heard trial verdict: jury rules in favor of Johnny Depp". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  41. ^ Wootton, Dan [@danwootton] (8 November 2021). "At 9pm we are relaunching my show as Dan Wootton Tonight. It's now two hours of the feistiest and most fun news debate on TV where free speech reigns always. Your favourite regulars and superstar panellists will be back but we're going to do it all before 11pm Monday to Thursday" (Tweet). Retrieved 11 November 2021 – via Twitter.
  42. ^ Higgens, Dave (4 February 2022). "Caroline Flack's ex-fiance jailed for harassing GB News presenter Dan Wootton". The Independent. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  43. ^ "GB News suspends Laurence Fox over comments about journalist Ava Evans". BBC News. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  44. ^ "GB News suspends Dan Wootton after Laurence Fox's remarks on show". The Guardian. 27 September 2023. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  45. ^ "Laurence Fox and Calvin Robinson sacked by GB News". BBC News. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  46. ^ "That's a wrap: TV's most complained about programmes of 2023 revealed". Ofcom. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  47. ^ "Dan Wootton: GB News show with Laurence Fox breached rules, Ofcom says". BBC News. 4 March 2024. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  48. ^ Rufo, Yasmin (29 July 2024). "Ofcom ends probe into Dan Wootton's GB News show". BBC News. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  49. ^ "Dan Wootton leaves GB News to launch his own 'independent platform'". Sky News. 5 March 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  50. ^ Evans, Dan; Latchem, Tom (26 July 2023). "Dan Wootton Paid Porn Stars with Sun's Depp Money for Covert Catfish Sex Videos". Byline Times. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  51. ^ Rusbridger, Alan (22 July 2023). "'Sex scandals' and the strange case of the Not Very Famous TV star". The Independent. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  52. ^ Waterson, Jim (3 August 2023). "MailOnline suspends Dan Wootton as allegations investigated". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  53. ^ Evans, Dan; Latchem, Tom (2 October 2023). "Police Investigating Dan Wootton Over Allegations of 10-Year Catfishing Campaign Following Byline Times' Special Investigation". Byline Times. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  54. ^ "Dan Wootton 'completely cleared' as police forces take no further action". The Evening Standard. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  55. ^ "Dan Wootton: Metropolitan Police taking no further action against broadcaster". BBC News. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  56. ^ "Two Police Forces to Take No Further Action Against Dan Wootton – As GB News Presenter Reveals Police Scotland as well as The Met Were Investigating". The Byline Times. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  57. ^ "TV presenter Dan Wootton to face no further action from police". Sky News. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  58. ^ Ponsford, Dominic (3 October 2023). "Guardian and Mirror take down Dan Wootton story after legal warning". Press Gazette. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  59. ^ "Corrections and clarifications". The Guardian. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  60. ^ "Guardian makes apology and payment to Dan Wootton after privacy complaint". Press Gazette. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  61. ^ Wootton, Dan [@danwootton] (4 December 2013). "I'm gay and I believe in equality in every way. If the media hides gay relationships then how will they ever be normalised?" (Tweet). Retrieved 4 December 2013 – via Twitter.
  62. ^ Franklin, Beth (28 July 2023). "Dan Wootton calls partner 'love of his life' on GB News show - Who is he and are they married?". Edinburgh News. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
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