Laurence Fox wins Equity payout for BBC show abuse
LAURENCE FOX has received a payout and an apology from the actors’ union Equity after members were urged to denounce him over his Question Time appearance.
The Lewis star was both praised and vilified for criticising the “woke” world view on the BBC programme.
Criticism came from Equity members who branded Fox a “disgrace” and called for him to be “unequivocally denounced”. Equity has now issued an apology, and The Telegraph understands the actor has received “an out of court settlement” from the union.
Members of the union’s Race Equality Committee, who initially called for the actor to be denounced online, have all resigned in protest at the apology.
They made their plea for denunciation following Fox’s appearance on Question Time in January, when the actor was labelled a “white privileged male” on air.
In response, the musician and TV star said claims of prejudice and privilege were “really starting to get boring” and that, far from being racially repressive, the UK was a “lovely country”.
His views prompted Equity members to denounce him on Twitter, and online vitriol began a “difficult period” for Fox.
A statement from the union said: “We are sorry that in the tweets he was called a ‘disgrace’ by Equity. It was a mistake for Equity as an organisation to criticise him in this way.
“Nothing in Equity’s later statement was intended as a slur on his character or views or to suggest that he should be denied the ability to work. Equity and Laurence Fox condemn prejudice unequivocally in all its forms.”.