Dan Wootton, originally from Lower Hutt, has had his regular MailOnline column "paused" while allegations are investigated. Photo: Supplied / Twitter / Dan Wootton
Prominent Kiwi journalist Dan Wootton has been suspended by UK tabloid the Daily Mail, following allegations he sought to extract sexual images from his colleagues in exchange for money.
Wootton, a well-known and controversial journalist originally from Lower Hutt, was writing a twice-weekly column for the Mail's website, but has not been published since the allegations against him were made public.
A spokesperson for the tabloid's parent company DMG media told the Guardian that Wootton's freelance column was "paused" while an investigation took place.
"We are continuing to consider a series of allegations which Dan Wootton - who has written columns for MailOnline since 2021 as one of several outside freelance contributors - has strenuously denied," they said.
"The allegations are obviously serious but also complex and historic and there is an independent investigation under way at the media group which employed him during the relevant period. In the meantime, his freelance column with MailOnline has been paused."
In July, it was revealed that both The Sun and the Mail were looking into claims that Wootton had sought sexual images from colleagues for money.
A series of tweets by Wootton's former partner, Alex Truby, alleged that Wootton had used the alias "Martin Branning" to solicit sexual images from men. He described seeing a hard drive containing emails referencing the alias.
The Guardian also said it had spoken to multiple media figures who described being approached by a person named Martin Branning and offered tens of thousands of pounds, usually in return for performing sexual acts on camera.
They said they had not been able to independently establish the link between Branning and Wootton.
Wootton had been visiting family in Wellington when the allegations were first made, but has since returned to the UK.
DMG media did not say whether Wootton was still being paid by the tabloid while suspended, but he does continue to host a show on the right-leaning TV network GB News. He has also set up a crowdfunding page online to cover legal fees.
Rupert Murdoch's News UK has also hired external lawyers to investigate claims that Wootton targeted Sun employees, offering money in exchange for sexual images.
Wootton worked as a celebrity journalist for the tabloid for more than a decade.
Shortly after the allegations were made public, he addressed them on his GB News show and said it was a, "smear campaign by nefarious players with an axe to grind".
"I, like all fallible human beings, have made errors of judgement in the past," he said.
"But the criminal allegations being made against me are simply untrue."
His lawyer told the Guardian: "For the avoidance of further doubt, our client did not at any time contact current or former colleagues at the Sun with offers of money in return for sexually explicit images, he did not engage in inappropriate behaviour in the workplace, and he did not misuse News UK funds."
- This story was first published by Stuff.