GB News hit with over 1,000 Ofcom complaints after presenter calls LGBT+ people ‘paedos’

GB News has been hit with more than 1,000 complaints after a presenter called LGBT+ people ‘paedos’ (Picture: GB News)

GB News has been hit with more than 1,000 Ofcom complaints after a presenter called LGBT+ people ‘paedos’.

During the channel’s Headliners programme on January 22, Josh Howie made the comment, sparking outrage and launching a campaign to stop GB News ‘spouting hatred’.

The ‘comedian’ had been discussing a speech from a Washington Bishop urging President Donald Trump to ‘have mercy’ on marginalised groups in America, including the LGBTQ+ community and immigrants, some of whom, she said, ‘fear for their lives’.

Talking about the statement, Howie said: ‘The church that she belongs to, the Diocese, it talks about the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons.’

‘I just want to say that includes paedos,’ he added, shouting the last word to the camera.

Just two days later, fellow GB News presenter Michelle Dewberry also said, during a discussion on trans issues: ‘Some of these fellas that go around dressed as women with their fake bits in their bras, they are deviants, quite frankly.’

His comments sparked immense backlash (Picture: GB News)

Howie’s comments have sparked immense backlash and prompted more than 1,000 complaints, with 954 of those in the last week.

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An Ofcom spokesperson confirmed to Metro: ‘Complaints alleged a comment by the host linked LGBT+ members of a church with paedophilia.

‘These are additional complaints to those reported last week, and the cumulative total is now 1,227.’

Following the outrage, Howie addressed the backlash in another GB News show, saying he ‘made a joke about how going against child protection might be a bit rich from a church, and I quoted from their website, and said, the type of church that she belongs to talks about the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons, I just want to say, that includes paedos.’

‘It was a joke,’ he claimed.

He then said he has ‘followed the lead of homosexual campaigners who want to take back the LGB from the TQIA2S+’ for several years.

‘There exists no definitive list of who is included in the Q and the Q+,’ he said.

‘And that’s a problem, because people advocating for paedophilia to normalise it say they’re included.’

‘I didn’t say LGB are paedophiles,’ he continued. ‘I didn’t say transpeople are paedophiles.’

‘What I am saying is that for some people the full inclusion of the LBGTQ+ includes paedophile.’

‘I can see why some people might think I was being homophobic, when in fact, I was being the opposite,’ he claimed.

Howie claimed he didn’t say LGBT people are paedophiles, and then said: ‘What I am saying is that for some people the full inclusion of the LBGTQ+ includes paedophile.’ (Picture: GB News)

In the segment, he apologised ‘to anybody who thought I was making an offensive comment’ and then joked he was a ‘gay icon’.

Since Howie’s original comment, the Good Law Project has created a campaign urging people to complain to Ofcom, with the website recording more than 63,000 complaints at the time of writing.

It reads: ‘GB News is no stranger to spouting hatred and toxic lies. They take pride in it, and pretend the rules don’t matter.

‘But they do. And they must be enforced.

‘On 22 January, Josh Howie, one of their presenters, repeated a dangerous homophobic slur that links the LGBTQ+ community to paedophilia.

‘It’s clearly illegal to stir up hatred by broadcasting a poisonous myth. Like GB News, Howie thinks he’s above the law. But he’s wrong. And we’re going to show him how.’

Howie was also branded ‘utterly appalling’ by people submitting complaints via the Good Law Project campaign.

‘Horrified by this,’ @ifwalk wrote, while @tracey.jewitt said: ‘Made me gasp when I heard this! Totally disgraceful.’

‘Absolutely sickening,’ @kathjcass added.

‘We cannot accept this narrative being acceptable,’ @lukedeanc said.

@kerrijane20 wrote: ‘Absolutely sickened by what he said. Have never complained to Ofcom before – but this is so hateful. Get that man off air, let alone an apology.’

‘That is utterly disgusting and the way he says it too as if he’s being funny. Gross,’ @beanzy.bsky.social meanwhile wrote on Bluesky.

@oldmanrambling.bsky.social said: ‘This is not a news station but a sewer of hate-filled propaganda being fed to the gullible. It has been warned and sanctioned so many times but it is time that it was booted off our airwaves. Vile.’

Metro has approached GB News for comment.

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