Laurence Fox has apologised for his comments made on GB News about journalist Ava Evans, saying “I’m sorry for demeaning you in that way”.
Actor-turned-politician Fox made a series of remarks about political correspondent Ms Evans, which included asking “who would want to shag that?” during a discussion on Dan Wootton Tonight on Tuesday.
Both Fox and Wootton were suspended by GB News amid an internal investigation and a probe by regulator Ofcom, who received around 7,300 complaints about the episode.
Fox said he was angry with Ms Evans over comments she made on a BBC debate around male suicide and alleged she had a “dislike of men in general”, but apologised for “demeaning her”.
Addressing the situation in a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, he said: “If I was going to be sensible and I could replay it, I would say: ‘Any self-respecting man in 2023 would probably be well advised to avoid a woman who possessed that world view because she would probably cause him nothing but harm’.
“But what I did say was, you know, ‘I wouldn’t shag that’, and all that sort of stuff, which is not right. It’s demeaning to her, to Ava, so I’m sorry for demeaning you in that way.
“However angry I am with you still for doing that, and it demeans me because it’s not representative of who I am.”
He also said he expected to be sacked by GB News on Friday over the incident, adding: “I know I’m going to get sacked tomorrow. I’m saying this stuff to clear my own conscience.”
Wootton previously apologised “unreservedly” for a “very unfortunate lapse in judgment” in a follow-up post to an earlier apology, which suggested he should have apologised for what was said during the broadcast.
Ms Evans previously said she had received an apology from the broadcaster.
Related: Lee Anderson brags after getting ‘exclusive scoop’ with the home secretary