Calvin Robinson, a political commentator and Anglican deacon, was suspended Friday by the British conservative outlet GB News after expressing support for colleagues who were suspended by the same network.
Robinson is the third presenter to be suspended by the right-wing British network in recent days, following the Sept. 28 suspension of Laurence Fox and Dan Wootton, Sky News reported. The controversy started after Fox received backlash for a remark he made on Wootton’s show about liberal pundit Ava Evans. “Who would want to shag that?” Fox asked, referring to Evans, per Sky News. (RELATED: ‘I Didn’t Even Have A Chance’: Famous Actress Reveals The ‘Candid’ Comment Which Got Her Fired)
Wootton responded to the remark by laughing, the outlet reported.
Both men have since issued apologies to Evans, and Fox has since said that he expects to be fired, the Guardian reported.
GB News suspends Calvin Robinson, its third presenter in three days https://t.co/z0mm1U0eyb
— The Guardian (@guardian) September 29, 2023
Robinson tweeted Thursday in defense of the pundits, claiming that many of their “so-called friends and colleagues” had chosen to “appease the woke mob” and, in doing so, had betrayed GB News’ mission to shift British public discourse.
There is no such thing as freedom of expression in the UK.
Article 10 of the Human Rights Act states “our freedom of expression is fundamental to our democracy”
But a lot of people do not believe in free speech, nor do they believe in democracy. Not really.
We’ve seen that…
— Dcn Calvin Robinson (@calvinrobinson) September 28, 2023
Following the suspension of Fox and Wootton, GB News asked Robinson to fill in on Wootton’s show, Sky News reported. In a tweet posted Friday, Robinson turned down the offer while criticizing “careerist ambitious” colleagues, who he said were “gunning” for Wootton’s job. He also said that GB News employees calling for Wootton’s cancellation “are worse than the woke mob, because these vultures are giving the mob ammunition and essentially escalating the channel’s demise.”
I will not be appearing on Dan Wootton Tonight without Dan Wootton.
Dan Wootton had a significant part to play in building GB News.
He invited me along pre-launch, he also brought so many people onboard. Behind the cameras as well as on-screen talent.
Including the careerist…
— Dcn Calvin Robinson (@calvinrobinson) September 29, 2023
Later Friday, Robinson tweeted, “I have been suspended from GB News.”
I have been suspended from GB News.
— Dcn Calvin Robinson (@calvinrobinson) September 29, 2023