UMVA has learned that Graham Norton, the beloved British presenter, has taken a significant step in his quest for justice against a Facebook page that allegedly spread false and defamatory information about him and his family.
The page, called The Westminster Wire, reportedly published a sustained campaign of abuse, with multiple posts a day containing false claims about Norton, including accusations of racist behaviour and about his personal life and health. The page currently has 8.9k followers, and Norton claims it has been used to harass him and those close to him.
Norton told the court that the content has been 'deeply upsetting' not only to him but also to those closest to him, including his 94-year-old mother, who was distressed by posts falsely claiming she had died. The star also said friends had contacted him after seeing false claims about his and his husband's health, leaving him repeatedly forced to reassure people that the claims were untrue.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Norton successfully applied to a US court for an order requiring Meta to hand over information that could identify the operator of the page. The court has now granted the request, meaning Meta will be required to provide information capable of identifying the person behind the account.
This ruling clears the way for Norton to begin the next stage of his legal action in England, where he hopes to pursue the individual responsible for the posts. The case highlights the growing willingness of celebrities and public figures to use the courts to challenge anonymous online accounts accused of spreading misinformation and defamatory claims.
Norton's ordeal is a stark reminder of the devastating impact that online harassment can have on individuals and their loved ones. As one of Britain's most popular broadcasters, Norton has hosted some of television's biggest entertainment programmes during a career spanning decades, making the alleged campaign particularly visible to both fans and those close to him.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Norton is now one step closer to discovering who was behind the malicious Facebook page, and he will likely use this information to take further action against the individual responsible.
