Dan Wootton has addressed “smear campaign” allegations after he was accused of using fake online identities to trick men into sending him sexually explicit images in exchange for tens of thousands of pounds.

Mr Wootton’s remarks come a day after The Byline Times published a number of detailed and serious allegations against the journalist and broadcaster, saying that there was evidence he had pretended to be a man named Martin Branning.

Speaking on GB News, Mr Wootton said: “I, like all fallible human beings, have made errors of judgement in the past. But the criminal allegations being made against me are simply untrue.”

“Officers are assessing information to establish whether any criminal offence has taken place.

“There is no police investigation at this time,” the Metropolitan Police said.