Laurence Fox apologises to Ava Evans for 'demeaning' on-air remarks with Dan Wootton

Suspended actor-turned-commentator Laurence Fox has apologised to political journalist Ava Evans, over his remarks that saw his suspension from GB news.

Fox, who presents on GB News on a Friday evening, went on a rant about Evans, who works for news site Joe, during a Tuesday episode on Dan Wootton Tonight discussing the mental health crisis affecting men. 

In a clip shared by Ms Evans on X, Fox said: "We're past the watershed so I can say this… show me a single, self-respecting man that would like to climb into bed with that woman… ever… ever.

"That little woman has been fed... spoon-fed oppression day after day after day, starting with the lie about the gender pay gap. She's sat there, and I'm going like, if I met you at a bar and that was like sentence three, chances of me just walking away are just huge.

"We need powerful, strong, amazing women who make great points for themselves. We don't need these feminist 4.0. They're pathetic and embarrassing. Who'd want to sh** that?" His remarks resulted in an immediate suspension. 

In a 15-minute clip posted on X, formerly Twitter on Thursday (September 28), the 45-year-old admitted that the remark was 'demeaning'. He explained: "I just felt the misandry so much. If I could be sensible and if I would replay it, I would say - any self respecting man in 2023  would probably be well advised to avoid women who possess that world view because she would probably be causing nothing but harm.

"But what I did say was I wouldn't sh**, which is not right and it's demeaning to Ava, so I'm sorry for demeaning you that way. It’s demeaning to me.. because it's not representative of who I am. I am saying this...to clear my own conscience."

He also said he was made a "scapegoat" and that he was "unfairly treated" following the suspension. He added: "(It was) a banterish type way to say that men who are men, who are traditionally stoic men, should probably avoid women who don't like them very much, who dismiss male suicide."

Laurence previously took to social media platform X to hit out at the decision to suspend him and also shared a screenshot of a Whatsapp message. Alongside it, he wrote: "A phone call might have been polite. 

“By matter of interest for the audience, contributors do a pre interview before going on, so they knew exactly what I intended to say. I fully defend the home of free speech’s right to capitulate to the mob…"

During the interview with Fox, Dan Wootton could be seen smiling and laughing throughout Fox's remarks, before "in a touch of balance" saying Evans regretted her comments and calling her a "very beautiful woman".

He was subsequently suspended from GB News and said in an apology that he should have intervened. 

The channel called the insult "totally unacceptable" and said it was conducting a full investigation. Meanwhile Fox, also a host on the channel, has said he stands "by every word of what I said".

Shortly after suspending both Fox and Wootton, GB News said it was conducting a full investigation. Regulator Ofcom said it had received around 7,300 complaints and had also launched an investigation into the programme.

MailOnline has also sacked Wootton as one of its columnists following the controversy.