Guardian Apologises, Issues Payment To GB News Host Dan Wootton After Legal Letters
GB News host Dan Wootton. (Screengrab via GB News/Youtube)
The Guardian newspaper published an apology Wednesday and issued a payment to GB News host Dan Wootton over already retracted reports about him being subject to a police investigation.
The publication made the move after receiving a letter from Wootton’s lawyer Donal Blaney threatening legal action for invasion of privacy, reported Press Gazette. It’s believed that the letter cited 2022’s judgement Bloomberg versus ZXC Supreme Court, arguing that his client’s right to privacy was infringed upon by premature reports of the police investigation. The landmark court ruling underscored the privacy rights of individuals under investigation until charges are formally pressed.
The Guardian statement read: “An article headlined “Police investigating allegations Dan Wootton solicited explicit images” was published on our website on 2 October 2023 (with a print version in a late edition the next day) and removed on 3 October 2023 following complaints from lawyers acting for Dan Wootton. We apologise to Mr Wootton for the article. Last week, the Metropolitan police and Police Scotland said that they had concluded their investigations and are taking no further action. Mr Wootton has restated that the police inquiries have exonerated him of any criminal wrongdoing. The Guardian has paid a contribution to Mr Wootton’s costs.”
With the decision, Wootton’s legal crusade is only gaining momentum, targeting not just The Guardian but also the Mirror and The National in Scotland, both of which have retracted their stories about the police probe. Byline Times, however, is standing its ground, refusing to back down from its initial report of Wootton’s police investigation and raising funds for a potential court battle.
Letters have also been reportedly issued to veteran broadcaster Carol Vorderman, journalist Emily Maitlis and, in a new revelation, commentator Marina Purkis over tweets posted on the story.
In a separate matter, despite the dropped police investigations, Wootton remains suspended from GB News over a misogynistic rant during a September episode of his show Dan Wootton Tonight by guest Laurence Fox about female journalist Ava Evans.
