Dan Wootton uses GB News show to respond to sex claims "witch hunt"

GB News host Dan Wootton has spoken out against a number of sexual offence allegations made against him.

The presenter, formerly an executive editor of The Sun who now fronts his own show on the controversial news channel, and writes a regular column for MailOnline, has been the subject of a raft of claims made on social media.

And on Monday, the Byline Times website published details of allegations relating to Wootton’s past, including claims the 40-year-old carried out inappropriate sexual activity using an online pseudonym.

A number of the claims relate to when Wootton worked for The Sun and the News of the World, with parent company News UK and DMG Media - publisher of MailOnline - saying they are now looking into the allegations.

Many of the claims were made by Wootton’s ex-partner, Alex Truby, in a series of tweets in recent days.

After publishing, the Byline Times said it had handed details of their investigation to the Metropolitan Police, who said they are working to ‘establish whether any criminal offence has taken place’ and that no investigation has so far been launched.

The force told The Independent: “In June 2023, the Metropolitan Police was contacted with regards to allegations of sexual offences committed by a man.

“Officers are assessing information to establish whether any criminal offence has taken place. There is no police investigation at this time.”

And on his Dan Wootton Tonight GB News show this evening (18 July), the presenter addressed the concerns, saying any “criminal allegations being made against me are simply untrue”.

“These past few days, I have been the subject of a smear campaign by nefarious players with an axe to grind,” he said.

The online speculation has “created an untrue story about me”, he went on.

“I, like all fallible human beings, have made errors of judgement in the past, but the criminal allegations being made against me are simply untrue.”

He said he had been advised by lawyers not to address the allegations further.

Wootton went on to scold the impact of social media ‘pile-ons’ and the ability of posters to make claims without recourse.

The presenter said he was coming on air "with a lot of humility too”, adding: “Being in the middle of this witch hunt has made me think a lot about the sort of journalist and broadcaster I aspire to be – one focused on the massive political threats facing this country, not on personal attacks.”