Dan Wootton fights back tears as he denies 'smear campaign' allegations - 'Trying to destroy my life'
Dan Wootton says he has been the target of a “smear campaign” with the aim of destroying his career as a journalist.
The GB News presenter has been accused of being at the centre of a cash-for-sexual images scandal after his former partner made a string of claims about him on social media.
Speaking on Dan Wootton Tonight, the 40-year-old denied the allegations and hit out at the “cesspit” of social media.
He said: “As you probably don’t know, because you’re not insane enough to pay attention to the cesspit of social media, these past few days I have been the target of a smear campaign by nefarious players with an axe to grind.
“Notably, by an ex-partner who I was previously abused by – something I have never spoken about publicly before, by the way – who has been on a campaign to destroy my life.
“In the past, he has written to me confessing to being a 'psychopath' and I saw this first hand when he threatened in writing to 'slit my throat' many years after we had broken up.
"I have been forced to report his behaviour and threats to police. They are now investigating.”
Wootton denied the story put forward by his ex-partner, also hitting out at the Guardian for choosing to publish the allegations.
“He has created an untrue story about me and appears to have been working with an organisation who are intent on closing this channel, whose reporters include a convicted phone hacker”, he said.
“The Guardian has also reported it tonight. What a surprise.
“Other unspeakable slurs have been made by a convicted extortionist I have never even met who has a long history of blackmailing gay men and was sent to jail for a number of years by a judge who said his behaviour was “compulsive” and provided a “high risk” to the public.
“I, like all fallible humans, have made errors of judgement in the past, but the criminal allegations being made against me are simply untrue.
“I would like nothing more than to address these spurious allegations. I could spend the next two hours doing so but, on the advice of my lawyers I cannot comment further.
“But I have been thinking much over the past few days about the current state of social media, where any allegation can be made in an attempt to get someone cancelled but it is impossible to defend yourself against thousands of trolls.”
Wootton went on to argue that he is the subject of a “witch hunt” which is symptomatic of the political landscape in Britain.
“Being in the middle of this witch hunt, has made me think 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.
Dan Wootton was pictured at the Tric Awards with broadcaster James Whale
Twitter / Dan Wootton
“Who doesn’t have regrets? Should I be cancelled for them many years later? Or do you accept that I have learned and changed?
“The last few years, I’ve grown professionally and personally. I’ve also found the meaning of true love after a truly toxic relationship with my ex.
“I’ve found happiness in my personal life with the love of my life, who is here with me tonight.
“My friends and family are my world. The toll this has taken on their mental health, well, it’s literally killing me to watch.
“Our rush to judge before due process, thanks to the mad ramblings of highly politicised Twitter trolls and revolting blogs that eschew basic journalistic standards, is destroying democracy.
The GB News presenter went on to explain why he did not speak during the scandal facing BBC presenter Huw Edwards, who faced accusations of paying for sexually explicit photos.
“And that’s why I didn’t say a word about Huw Edwards. Not one word. No tweet was deleted by me, despite what Carol Vorderman may have claimed.
“I didn’t know the facts. And I wasn’t going to weigh in until I did."
Dan Wootton's friend Tonia Buxton was on the show as Dan addressed the allegations
Twitter / Dan Wootton
The 40-year-old went on to assert that GB News is the focus of a concerted campaign with an aim to take it down.
“I do also note there are dark forces out to try and take this brilliant channel down.
“Whether it’s Nigel’s bank account, Patrick’s Twitter, Jacob and Lee’s ability to speak out, Calvin’s right to have religious views, or Laurence speaking against the entertainment establishment, we have all found ourselves under attack.
“And that’s because GB News is the biggest threat to the establishment in decades, and they will stop at nothing to destroy us.
“But we will keep fighting for you because we are a family here – you have been with me since day one and we have each other’s back.
“Pile ons are the way to cancel a person.
“Our country is better than that – we must be – and that’s why GB News exists.
“What we’re trying to do here is something different to give voice to the people of the United Kingdom.
Dan Wootton has covered big events with GB News such as the Coronation of King Charles
Twitter / Dan Wootton
“A great man reminded me today that people don’t follow you because you’re right, they follow you because you’re real.
“Thank you for your support and the support of GB News.”
The allegations, which Wootton deems to be ‘spurious’, centre around claims made by his ex-boyfriend that allege the presenter inappropriately offered colleagues tens of thousands of pounds in return for sexual material.
It is claimed that Wootton adopted the pseudonym “Martin Branning” and offered individuals large sums of money in return for filming themselves carrying out sex acts.
It is claimed that Wootton adopted the pseudonym “Martin Branning” and offered individuals large sums of money in return for filming themselves carrying out sex acts.
Alex Truby, Wootton’s former partner, alleged he made the discovery after finding Wootton’s hard drive in 2013.
Wootton is accused by Byline Times of offering sums of up to £30,000 ‘tax free’ to individuals in return for compromising sexual material.
Many of the allegations relate to the time when Wootton was employed by the Sun, with Byline Times alleging that their evidence comes from the period between 2008 and 2018.
The Guardian has reported that the Sun and MailOnline are looking into allegations.
It says a spokesperson for News UK said: “We are looking into the allegations made in recent days. We are not able to make any further comment at this stage.”
Likewise, the newspaper quotes a spokesperson for DMG Media, MailOnline’s parent company, as saying: “We are aware of the allegations and are looking into them.”
Wootton has denied that any illegal behaviour took place.
The presenter was off air last week as he visited his family in New Zealand.