Yahoo News Who is Laurence Fox? From actor to controversial TV pundit
The former Lewis star is now better known for voicing his extreme opinions on social media.
Laurence Fox has yet again been making headlines for making offensive comments on a political TV show.
The actor and musician was once the reassuring face of the law on primetime Sunday night television and half of a celebrity couple.
Now he is the leader of the right-wing Reclaim Party and infamous for launching vitriol against everything and anyone he disagrees with on social media.
Read more: Laurence Fox suspended from GB News after ‘unacceptable’ remarks about female journalist (Evening Standard, 2 min read)
His latest controversy has seen him be arrested.
So what happened and who is Laurence Fox?
Arrest
Fox has been arrested on suspicion of conspiring to commit criminal damage to Ulez (Ultra low emission zone) cameras and encouraging offences to be committed.
The presenter had earlier shared a video on social media via the account of The Reclaim Party, which he launched, where police officers could be seen at his home.
He said to the camera: “Look how many coppers there are in my house. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the country we live in.”
Confirming a suspect had been arrested, a spokeswoman for the Met said: “On Wednesday October 4, officers arrested a 45-year-old man on suspicion of conspiring to commit criminal damage to Ulez cameras and encouraging or assisting offences to be committed.
“He was arrested in Stockwell and has been taken to a South London police station where he remains in custody.”
GB News suspension
Fox was suspended from GB News after sparking controversy with comments about a female journalist on Dan Wootton’s show.
He asked what "self-respecting man" would "climb into bed" with Ava Evans, which she later said made her feel "physically sick".
Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom received thousands of complaints and is investigating.
And GB News has suspended Fox, saying in a statement: “GB News has formally suspended Laurence Fox while we continue our investigation into comments he made on the channel last night.
"Mr Fox's suspension is effective immediately and he has been taken off air. We will be apologising formally to Ms Evans today."
Fox has apologised for his “demeaning” remarks, saying in a video statement that it was “not representative of who I am".
Acting dynasty
A member of the Fox acting dynasty – Laurence's father is James Fox, while his uncle and aunt are Edward Fox and Joanna David, all veterans of the British stage and screen. His cousins are Silent Witness star Emilia Fox and Slow Horses star Freddie Fox.
Laurence attended British public boys’ school Harrow but was expelled a few weeks before his A-Levels. He then successfully auditioned for the Royal Academy of the Dramatic Arts (Rada) and followed in his father's footsteps to tread the boards on the London stage.
He made his screen acting debut in 2001 British horror film The Hole, co-starring Keira Knightley.
Detective sidekick
Fox got his big break in long-running ITV drama Lewis. A spin-off of hit detective show Inspector Morse, Fox played side-kick Sergeant James Hathaway to Morse's former side-kick Lewis, played by Kevin Whately.
The Sunday night murder mystery drama, set in Oxford, ran for nine series between 2006 and 2015.
Celebrity power couple
After gaining celebrity as a TV detective Fox met pop singer and actor Billie Piper, now 41. They were married from 2007 to 2016 and they share two sons Winston, 14, and Eugene, 11.
At the start of their marriage, Fox said it was love at first sight. He told the Mirror in 2010: “Yes. It absolutely happened when I met Bill. We were in a rehearsal room and I knew there and then she was the one for me.”
But in May 2016 the pair were granted what is known as a 'quickie' divorce in 50 seconds on the grounds the marriage had irretrievably broken down.
This was followed by a bitter custody battle over their two sons which Fox has described as "horrendous” and financially crippling.
He told the Mail On Sunday in 2018: "I almost felt like I couldn’t go on. It all felt so hopeless.
"I understand why some men feel so hopeless they commit suicide and find themselves lying on the train tracks."
Read more: Laurence Fox reveals just how costly his divorce from Billie Piper was
Moody musician
Around the time of his marriage breakdown Fox launched a second career as a singer-songwriter.
He released his debut album Holding Patterns in 2016. But after his original record label Pledge Music went bust, he had to set up his own company Fox Cub Records to fund the release, reportedly costing him thousands.
Read more: Laurence Fox thanks trolls for boosting music royalties
Shocking outburst
In January 2020 Fox became frontpage news after he appeared on political debate show Question Time and voiced a series of controversial opinions.
Overnight Fox went from being detective sidekick and ex-husband of Billie Piper, to the privately educated thespian who accused an audience member — later revealed to be a university lecturer and race and ethnicity researcher — of being “racist” for suggesting he was a privileged white male.
Watch: Laurence Fox's infamous Question Time appearance
He also stood by his criticism of the inclusion of a Sikh soldier character in First World War film 1917, which he claimed distracted from the storyline in its efforts to show diversity.
Shortly afterwards he appeared on Good Morning Britain and revealed he was struggling with his mental health as a result of the controversy.
Fox confessed: "I have a small bout of, hopefully, temporary insomnia. I’ve had death threats and I have got children. I’ve had death threats, yeah, [in the last week] and it’s not pleasant.”
Fox did issue an apology to the Sikh community, but said he stood by everything else.
He said: "What I said on Question Time, I 100% stand behind. I said what I felt and I continue to believe it.”
Read more: Laurence Fox calls out 'racist, woke' people who 'need to feel oppressed'
Social media troll
After being targeted by trolls over the Question Time controversy, Fox initially decided to take a break from social media.
But gradually he began to engage in exchanging insults with those who had hit out at him.
Not long afterwards the coronavirus pandemic hit and lockdown restrictions were introduced in the UK.
Fox became increasingly outspoken against lockdown restrictions and then against the Black Lives Matter movement.
In the last three years Fox has shared furious rants online objecting to political issues such as taking the knee, the Progress Pride Flag and the government's Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Read more: Laurence Fox criticises 'despicable' police at lockdown protest
Right wing activist
In May 2021 Fox stood for London Mayor, only to lose his £10,000 deposit after getting just 1.8% of votes.
He is now leader of The Reclaim Party which he say aims to challenge "the woke orthodoxy of 'white privilege' and 'systemic racism'" and protect freedom of speech and Britain and its culture form the media and liberal politicians.
Fox stood in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election as a Reclaim Party candidate in July 2023. He finished fourth with 2.3 per cent of the vote, again losing his deposit.
Read more: Laurence Fox issues statement amid outrage over 'misogynistic' GB News rant (The National, 3 min read)
Watch: Susanna Reid challenges Culture Secretary over MPs working as broadcasters
