At the end of September 2023GB News was in the middle of torment. This was due to a segment on Dan Wootton’s show in which he welcomed Laurence Fox as guest. Their conversation which was about men’s mental health took a drastic turn when Fox attacked Ava Evans, a political journalist for PoliticsJOE.
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This led to Ofcom receiving thousands of complaints and while Fox was laid off from GB News, Dan Wootton was merely suspended. He remained so until it was finally made official on 5 March 2024 that Wootton had left the channel.
In his statement he also announced the launch of his new platform: Outspoken.
What is Outspoken, Dan Wootton’s new platform?
To understand what Outspoken is, it is necessary to look back at the time when he joined GB News. Dan Wootton was there when the channel launched and was one of its star presenters. On his show, which aired Monday through Thursday, called Dan Wootton Tonight the journalist aimed to nurture this ethos: No Spin, No Bias and No Censorship.
These words are the first thing you come across when you enter Dan Wootton’s new platform. They title the lengthy introduction to this new professional venture. It summarises what Outspoken will be about: a platform where free speech is upheld. He writes:
I’m not an anarchist; I believe that with free speech comes responsibility. Anyone who has watched my shows on both Talk Radio and GB News over the past five years knows that.
I don’t want society to break down but I want society to be heard.
Wootton teases the arrival of a ‘brand new daily show’ in 2024 which will focus on news and opinion. But this isn’t all – Dan Wootton doesn’t just want to host a show he wants to be ‘able to travel to where the news is breaking.’ For that, he is asking his supporters to subscribe.
Outspoken is setting up to be a platform where a sense of community is strong. Indeed, if you sign up to the platform as a ‘Day One founding member’, it is promised that you receive a ‘a personal video message’ from Dan Wootton.
Dan Wootton joins Calvin Robinson and Laurence Fox on independent platform
GB News’ decision to lay off Laurence Fox and suspend Dan Wootton was not received well among watchers and supporters of the two. Especially Wootton’s. But they were not the only ones who took umbrage at seeing the two men reprimanded. Calvin Robinson, also a presenter and contributor on GB News, took to X to express his displeasure.
The statement of support for Wootton and Fox did not go down well with GB News who quickly chose to lay Robinson off. Fox and Robinson continued to be present online and to be vehement critics of GB News and the media.
Laurence Fox has been using his socials and his own Reclaim The Media platform to broadcast his ideas and opinions for a while. Following his friend’s path, Robinson launched the Common Sense Crusade on Lotuseaters at the beginning of February 2024. Lotuseaters is a platform that allows creators to post their content without being restrained by the mainstream media’s rules.
Now, Dan Wootton’s announcement that he is following his friends’ path comes as a limited surprise. At the beginning of 2024, on Instagram, he had teased a comeback and, considering the controversies surrounding him in 2023, an independent outlet seemed like the most logical choice.
The remaining question is, will Wootton associate with Robinson and/or Fox? We know that the last two have launched their own show on Reclaim The Media called Fox and Father.
Already, Outspoken has gathered comments from his fans who all seem to be rejoicing at having their favourite presenter back.
Read more:
⋙ Dan Wootton: The GB News presenter spotted on a rare public outing since suspension
⋙ Nigel Farage: Calvin Robinson challenges former GB News colleague
⋙ Who is Ava Evans, the journalist targeted by Laurence Fox's misogynistic rant?
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