Nigel Farage has warned Ofcom “I’m ready” for a fight after the regulator launched an investigation into his TV programme.
The TV host and former UKIP and Brexit Party leader hit out during his GB News programme on Monday night.
He said: “Ofcom, you have got this wrong. I would point out that tonight is the 550th episode of Farage. We have never had a single complaint upheld against this programme for due impartiality, or indeed for anything else.
“So, why now? Why two-and-a-half-years into this job have Ofcom decided to do this? Could it have something to do with the fact there is an election this year? And perhaps there’s a bit of establishment pressure being out on the regulator? I don’t know but I’ll tell you what folks. You want to come and pick a fight with me? I’m ready anytime you like.”
Ofcom said it will investigate Mr Farage’s programme on the channel on January 17.
A spokesman for the regulator said: “We are investigating whether this programme broke our rules requiring news and current affairs to be presented with due impartiality, and preventing politicians from acting as news presenters.”
It comes on the same day that Ofcom said Laurence Fox’s “misogynistic” comments about female journalist Ava Evans on GB News’ Dan Wootton Tonight broke broadcasting rules.
The remarks about political correspondent Ms Evans made by the actor turned politician during an episode of the programme on September 26 last year, in which he asked “Who would want to shag that?”, received 8,867 complaints.
Fox and presenter Wootton were suspended by GB News after the broadcast and Fox was later sacked from the channel.
Neither apologised while on air, but did subsequently offer apologies.
Ofcom said it has “significant concerns about GB News’ editorial control of its live output” and has requested a meeting with the broadcaster to discuss its “compliance practices” on this topic.
The media watchdog’s investigation found that Wootton’s and GB News’ accounts of why an apology was not read out “differed” and noted no other “editorial techniques” were used to address the potential for offence.
“We considered this indicated that GB News’ editorial control of this live programme had been inadequate,” it added.
Fox and presenter Wootton were suspended by GB News after the broadcast and Fox was later sacked from the channel.
Neither apologised while on air, but did subsequently offer apologies.
Ofcom said it has “significant concerns about GB News’ editorial control of its live output” and has requested a meeting with the broadcaster to discuss its “compliance practices” on this topic.
The media watchdog’s investigation found that Wootton’s and GB News’ accounts of why an apology was not read out “differed” and noted no other “editorial techniques” were used to address the potential for offence.
“We considered this indicated that GB News’ editorial control of this live programme had been inadequate,” it added.
In a ruling, the regulator said Fox’s comments “constituted a highly personal attack on Ms Evans and were potentially highly offensive to viewers”.
“They reduced her contribution to a broadcast discussion on mental health – in her professional capacity as a political journalist – to a judgment on whether she, or women like her who publicly expressed their political opinions, were sexually desirable to men,” Ofcom added.
Following the ruling, Fox said in a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter: “I’m not overly bothered about this anymore.
“I could have expressed myself better, that’s life and I’ve said my bit.
“I still think it’s one of the biggest pieces of confected outrage I’ve ever witnessed, but in the interests of openness and transparency.”
He claimed that “everything” he said on air was “discussed and agreed with the production team beforehand” and they were “laughing and joking” about it.
He also alleged the channel had a delay so they could have “cut the feed, but they didn’t”.
