Laurence Fox Rant On ‘Dan Wootton Tonight’ Tops Ofcom Complaints List – Deadline

Laurence Fox‘s highly misogynist rant on Dan Wootton Tonight, which led to the actor and politician’s firing from GB News, was Ofcom‘s most complained about TV show of the year in 2023.

The episode in September, in which Fox ranted about journalist Ava Evans – saying no “self-respecting man would climb into bed” with her – narrowly beat complaints around Bridgerton star Adjoah Andoh‘s comments during King Charles III’s Coronation to the top spot.

Fox was fired from GB News following the rant, which generated nationwide headlines and amassed a total of 8,867 complaints, ahead of Andoh by around 200.

Ofcom investigated almost immediately due to the severity of the breach and it is one of a dozen GB News shows that have been investigated by the regulator this year. Fox, who regularly featured on GB News and also hosted a show on the network, was arrested in the same week on suspicion of conspiring to commit to damage to a Ulez camera.

Andoh, meanwhile, said “We’ve gone from the rich diversity of the [Westminster] Abbey to a terribly white balcony,” during ITV’s live Coronation broadcast, with viewers complaining that the comment was offensive and amounted to racial discrimination. Taking into account freedom of expression, Ofcom didn’t investigate.

Elsewhere on the list, Good Morning Britain on ITV came in third with 2,391 complaints over the questioning of MP Layla Moran, who has family in Gaza, regarding Israel-Hamas.

Love Island, which tends to be a big complaints generator, was 10th on the list during an episode relating to bullying, while Channel 4’s Naked Education secured eighth spot due to “pre-watershed nudity.”

Last year’s list was dominated by complaints both for and against Matt Hancock, who had recently appeared on I’m a Celebrity .. Get me Out of Here!.