GB News boss 'appalled' by Laurence Fox comments

Laurence Fox's on-air comments about a female journalist were "way past the limits of acceptance" and should have been properly challenged by host Dan Wootton, the boss of GB News has said.

Angelos Frangopoulos told the BBC he was "appalled" by the remarks.

Fox and Wootton have been suspended and the channel is being investigated by Ofcom, which received 7,300 complaints.

Fox sparked the controversy when he asked what "self-respecting man" would "climb into bed" with Ava Evans.

"They are not in keeping with the values of us as a business and as a media company," Mr Frangopoulos told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "And obviously, we took action immediately.

"There is a process that needs to be followed, and we expect that that process will be completed very soon."

Fox said on Thursday he was "sorry for demeaning" Evans, while Wootton has apologised and said he should have intervened.

Fox added that "I know I'm going to get sacked" on Friday.

Speaking on Friday morning, Mr Frangopoulos said neither Fox nor Wootton had been sacked and that he expected the channel's investigations "to be resolved very quickly".

Fox, who hosts a weekly show on GB News and made the remarks while appearing as a contributor on Wootton's programme on Tuesday, does usually "sail close to the wind", the chief executive said.

"But he didn't sail close the wind earlier this week. That was way past the limits of acceptance, and that is the difference.

"We are about free speech, but it's about being done in a respectful and proper way, and that was not the way that that conversation played out."

He added that the investigation was "looking very closely at the production process that went into the programme".

He said: "We're looking into the way that the interview was handled. And we're also looking obviously at the comments themselves, which were appalling, and we are absolutely horrified about what was said. I've written a very extensive and personal apology letter to Ava."

He added: "That comment should not have gone to air and that should have been properly challenged, quite frankly."