London-based columnist and media persona Dan Wootton‘s work has been paused by the Every day Mail‘s digital information outlet after jaw-dropping “double life” accusations have come out in opposition to him.
Wootton is a really well-known columnist and tv host throughout the pond. Not solely does he write for MailOnline — the Every day Mail‘s internet hub — however he additionally hosts a present on present occasions for the right-wing media outlet GB Information. And Individuals could know him because the journalist who first revealed the information of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s “Megxit” from the royal fam.
However now, he’s below fireplace — and his MailOnline gig has been at the very least quickly shuttered — after stunning new allegations have surfaced.
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In line with Byline Occasions, Wootton is accused of making faux identities to trick and bribe different males in journalism into sending him “sexually compromising photographs.” Wootton allegedly particularly focused different members of the media and work colleagues of his “for greater than a decade.” To take action, he lived a “double life,” allegedly posing as a faux agent named Martin Branning who was stated to be soliciting the pics for skilled causes.
WTF?!
Media reviews declare he supplied some colleagues “tens of 1000’s of kilos” for the photographs and different associated “sexual materials.” The allegations have been first introduced forth by Wootton’s ex-boyfriend final month to that information outlet. Since then, MailOnline has not run any of his columns on their on-line web page. He had been writing two columns every week for the outlet, in what the Guardian described as a “profitable” gig. Wootton himself denied the allegations on his GB Information present final week, however did acknowledge having made “errors of judgment” in his previous. Huh…
In the meantime, the Every day Mail has opened an investigation into the matter. An announcement from that outlet to the Press Gazette stated as a lot:
“We’re persevering with to think about a collection of allegations which Dan Wootton — who has written columns for MailOnline since 2021 as one in every of a number of exterior freelance contributors — has strenuously denied. The allegations are clearly severe but in addition complicated and historic and there may be an impartial investigation underway on the media group which employed him throughout the related interval. Within the meantime, his freelance column with Mail On-line has been paused.”
That “complicated and historic” reference is notable, too. Per the Guardian, Wootton is additionally below investigation by previous employers at Information UK, the place he beforehand labored for greater than a decade protecting celeb information and gossip. That firm has “employed an exterior legislation agency” to research allegations that Wootton beforehand focused staff of The Solar with presents of cash in trade for nude photographs.
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In a press release relating to the outdated allegations at The Solar — the place Wootton beforehand labored starting in 2013 — that outlet’s editor Victoria Newton stated:
“We take these allegations significantly however we’re in no place to remark additional and certainly we make no dedication to make any additional remark relying on the end result of our investigation.”
Wootton’s authorized workforce has additionally launched a press release on the media persona’s behalf. In a robust denial of the nude solicitation claims initially reported by Byline Occasions and later others, the media persona’s reps stated:
“For the avoidance of additional doubt, our consumer didn’t at any time contact present or former colleagues on the Solar with presents of cash in return for sexually specific photographs, he didn’t have interaction in inappropriate behaviour within the office, and he didn’t misuse Information UK funds.”
Wootton himself has since personally pushed again in opposition to the claims, too. Utilizing his nightly present on GB Information to disclaim the allegations in opposition to him, the Dan Wootton Tonight host has stated the reviews are “defamatory and unfaithful.”
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He has additionally begun a crowdfunding mission to pay his authorized charges in pursuit of Byline Information, which first reported the claims.
After launching a donation web page late final month, in line with the Press Gazette, he has raised greater than £38,000 for a coming authorized protection. That outlet additionally reviews Byline Information has raised £54,000 in “about the identical timescale” to cowl its personal reporting and authorized wants.
[Image via Dan Wootton Tonight/YouTube]
