Star BBC presenter on the centre of the £35,000 teenage intercourse pics scandal ‘phoned teenager’

The BBC presenter on the centre of the £35,000 teenage intercourse photos scandal allegedly phoned the teenager after he was uncovered.

The ‘well-known’ star reportedly demanded ‘what have you ever accomplished?’ within the name, which occurred final week. 

He additionally requested his alleged sufferer to ring their mom to steer her to ‘cease the investigation’ as he started to panic, in accordance with The Sun. 

The BBC confirmed in a public assertion this afternoon that it had suspended a male member of workers over the allegations, however has not revealed the identification of the worker. 

The household of {the teenager}, who’s now 20, have been reportedly upset with the wording of the assertion from the broadcaster and claimed that they had not been correctly contacted.  

It comes because the Metropolitan Police confirmed it has spoken to the BBC concerning the suspended presenter accused of paying a young person more than £35,000 for sexually explicit images.

Director-general Tim Davie mentioned right now that the company was investigating ‘swiftly and sensitively’ into the ‘deeply regarding’ claims following pressing talks with the federal government.

It got here simply hours after Tradition Secretary Lucy Frazer held pressing talks with BBC director-general Tim Davie concerning the scandal, which was first reported to the broadcaster seven weeks in the past. 

The Every day Mail has been informed Mr Davie was not made conscious of the allegations till final Thursday, regardless of claims {the teenager}’s mom initially contacted the BBC on Could 19. 

Senior sources mentioned bosses didn’t at first ‘register the seriousness of it’. 

A separate BBC supply mentioned: ‘There are layers to what the police need and must take it additional – we could get to that stage, we could not.’ 

The under-fire presenter’s colleagues are mentioned to be appalled by the state of affairs, whereas rising more and more dismayed at how the BBC has dealt with the disaster. 

One mentioned final night time: ‘We’re all aghast. And in the intervening time it is just like the airplane is on fireplace however the cockpit door is locked. We simply must hope the pilot is doing one thing.’ 

Nonetheless the Met mentioned the broadcaster has not but made a ‘formal referral or allegation’. 

In a press release a spokesperson for the pressure mentioned: ‘The Met has obtained preliminary contact from the BBC in relation to this matter however no formal referral or allegation has been made. 

‘We would require extra info earlier than figuring out what additional motion ought to comply with.’ 

In a follow-up e-mail despatched to workers, Mr Davie reiterated that the BBC is taking the allegations ‘extremely severely’. 

Later within the inner e-mail, he provides: ‘By legislation, people are entitled to an affordable expectation of privateness, which is making this case extra complicated. I additionally wish to be very clear that I’m wholly condemning the unsubstantiated rumours being made on the web about a few of our presenting expertise.

‘We’re in touch with the household referenced within the media experiences. I wish to guarantee you that we’re working quickly to determine the information and to make sure that these issues are dealt with pretty and with care, together with by exterior authorities the place applicable.’

A number of prime stars on the BBC, together with Gary Lineker, Jeremy Vine, Nicky Campbell and Rylan Clark, have distanced themselves from the allegations.  

Mr Davie right now held pressing talks with the federal government over the ‘deeply regarding’ intercourse photos scandal surrounding certainly one of its prime stars.

Shortly after his telephone name with tradition secretary Lucy Frazer right now, the broadcaster launched a press release confirming it had suspended the presenter.

‘The BBC takes any allegations severely and we’ve strong inner processes in place to proactively take care of such allegations,’ the assertion mentioned.

‘It is a complicated and fast-paced set of circumstances and the BBC is working as shortly as attainable to determine the information with a purpose to correctly inform applicable subsequent steps.

‘It can be crucial that these issues are dealt with pretty and with care.

‘We now have been clear that if – at any level – new info involves gentle or is offered to us, this can be acted upon appropriately and actively adopted up.

‘The BBC first grew to become conscious of a criticism in Could. New allegations have been put to us on Thursday of a distinct nature and along with our personal enquiries we’ve additionally been in contact with exterior authorities, in keeping with our protocols.

‘We are able to additionally verify a male member of workers has been suspended.

‘We anticipate to be ready to offer an extra replace within the coming days as the method continues. The BBC Board will proceed to be saved updated.’

Throughout his name with the tradition secretary, Mr Davie mentioned the company was investigating the claims ‘swiftly and sensitively’.

Ms Frazer described the allegations reported by The Solar newspaper as ‘deeply regarding’ and mentioned the broadcaster now must be given house to probe the matter and take applicable motion.

Following a telephone name with Mr Davie, she tweeted: ‘I’ve spoken to BBC director-general Tim Davie concerning the deeply regarding allegations involving certainly one of its presenters.

‘He has assured me the BBC are investigating swiftly and sensitively.’

She added: ‘Given the character of the allegations it can be crucial that the BBC is now given the house to conduct its investigation, set up the information and take applicable motion. I can be saved up to date.’

Senior officers have informed the broadcaster the allegations should be investigated ‘urgently and sensitively’, with the Division of Tradition Media and Sport (DCMS) saved up to date.

A DCMS spokeswoman beforehand mentioned: ‘These allegations are deeply regarding.

‘As a public service broadcaster in receipt of public funding, senior officers have pressured to the BBC that the allegations should be investigated urgently and sensitively, with the division saved knowledgeable.’

The presenter, who has not been named however is described as being well-known, allegedly started paying {the teenager} after they have been 17, and despatched them the cash which they used to fund an habit to crack cocaine.

The lurid hypothesis was sparked by a newspaper report that the teenager’s household had complained concerning the behaviour of the ‘family identify’ seven weeks in the past, however had been sad with the BBC response.

The presenter had reportedly been taken off air on Friday, pending an investigation, however has now been suspended.

He’s mentioned to be identified to tens of millions of individuals and will face a police probe over potential crimes which carry a most 14-year jail sentence.

The alleged sufferer’s mom says that the household complained to the BBC on Could 19, asking for the presenter to be informed to cease sending their baby cash. 

It’s claimed that even after the household complained, the star continued to ship cash and remained on air – earlier than he allegedly attended an awards ceremony and was even partying with BBC bosses.

The suspension comes after a slew of lawmakers criticised the Company’s dealing with of the allegations and demanded full transparency concerning the probe.

It’s the newest disaster for Mr Davie to answer after he survived calls to resign over his dealing with of Gary Lineker being briefly taken off air in March after the soccer pundit criticised Residence Secretary Suella Braverman’s ‘merciless’ asylum coverage. 

Former Residence Secretary Priti Patel referred to as the broadcaster’s therapy of the criticism ‘derisory’ and insisted the BBC ‘should present the sufferer and his household a full and clear investigation’.

She added: ‘The BBC, which is funded by licence charge payers, has grow to be a faceless and unaccountable organisation.’

Fellow Conservative MP Paul Bristow mentioned: ‘What’s being advised is extremely critical. The BBC should be fully clear on how it’s coping with this criticism. No ifs, no buts. They should let the licence charge paying public know what they’re doing and what they suggest to do.’

Labour shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves mentioned the experiences have been ‘deeply regarding’.

She informed Sky Information’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday present: ‘The concept that some presenters act with impunity and might get away with these kind of issues, it does name into query the ethics, the investigations, how lengthy this stuff take,

‘The BBC and different broadcasters do must get a grip as a result of we appear to lurch from one scandal to a different and extra must be accomplished.’

Ms Reeves added there must be a ‘full investigation’ into the matter.

‘That is the regarding factor, somebody makes a criticism – a really critical criticism – after which they’re placed on the TV the following night time and so they’re nonetheless there,’ she mentioned.

‘That is not ok, that is not treating individuals, victims, with respect and that is why there must be a full investigation.’

Authorities minister Victoria Atkins, the Monetary Secretary to the Treasury, informed Sky Information: ‘These are very, very critical allegations and the BBC have mentioned they’ve processes in locations.

‘However I believe as public consideration and concern grows, the BBC goes to must act very swiftly to take care of these allegations and set out what they’ll examine them.’

Ms Atkins mentioned she might ‘fairly perceive the general public concern’ concerning the allegations.

‘It could be that occurs sooner or later,’ she added.

‘With allegations of this sort, we as a Authorities have labored very exhausting over time to attempt to assist complainants of very critical allegations each within the prison courts and with the police.

‘And I might anticipate different establishments which have duties with the general public to have comparable excessive requirements.’

The alleged sufferer’s household claims the specific messages began in 2020 and that the star didn’t disguise his identification and even despatched pictures to the teenager whereas he was at work.

He would allegedly request ‘performances’ from {the teenager}, who informed their mom they’d then ‘get their bits out’.  On one event, he despatched {the teenager} a lump sum of £5,000. 

The mom informed the Solar their baby went from a ‘happy-go-lucky teenager to a ghost-like crack addict’ in simply three years.

{The teenager}’s mom mentioned she as soon as heard the BBC star telling them: ‘I informed you to not f***ing ring me’. 

She mentioned her relationship along with her baby has at all times been shut, and that they’ve beforehand confided when the person has despatched them cash.

The mom additionally informed the Sun final night time she used to ‘love’ watching the presenter, and was left ‘shocked’ to see {a photograph} of him in his underwear on the couch of his home whereas taking a look at her kid’s telephone. 

‘I instantly recognised him. He was leaning ahead preparing for my baby to carry out for him. My baby informed me, ‘I’ve proven issues’ and this was an image from some sort of video name.’

However now the stricken mom says: ‘At any time when I see him on telly, I really feel sick.

She believes nothing was accomplished and mentioned the person continued to ship her baby money as he remained on air.

It has additionally been alleged that the presenter partied with BBC bosses at an awards ceremony after the allegations have been made in opposition to him.

Insiders declare the host loved a champagne reception and a three-course meal alongside senior executives weeks after the alleged sufferer’s mom complained to the community.

A fellow get together visitor informed the Mirror that it was ‘astonishing’ that somebody going through ‘such critical allegations’ might attend the occasion, including: ‘If this man was conscious of what was hanging over him, he definitely did not present it.’

The supply added: ‘The BBC had been made conscious within the strongest attainable phrases of what this particular person is meant to have accomplished – and nonetheless they have been capable of go alongside, with colleagues in tow. It is extremely odd, to say the least.’ 

The BBC has appeared to recommend the household didn’t reply to them after they tried to pursue an investigation. However one of many nation’s prime legal professionals has questioned why they didn’t act sooner.

Nazir Afzal, who prosecuted the Rochdale grooming gang, informed the Times final night time he was ‘shocked that this particular person was not suspended as soon as [the BBC] grew to become conscious of the gravity of the allegation.’

He continued: ‘The police ought to have been engaged as quickly as they labored out whether or not the criticism was real.

‘The place are we now – the center of July? Six, seven weeks on. They need to have suggested the police that it is a matter that they need to be investigating, and that ought to have been accomplished weeks in the past.

‘There is no justification for the police not having grow to be concerned as early as attainable.’ 

A BBC spokesperson informed MailOnline on Friday: ‘We deal with any allegations very severely and we’ve processes in place to proactively take care of them.

‘As a part of that, if we obtain info that requires additional investigation or examination, we are going to take steps to do that.

‘That features actively trying to talk to those that have contacted us with a purpose to search additional element and understanding of the state of affairs.

‘If we get no reply to our makes an attempt or obtain no additional contact that may restrict our skill to progress issues however it doesn’t imply our enquiries cease.

‘If, at any level, new info involves gentle or is offered — together with through newspapers — this can be acted upon appropriately, in keeping with inner processes.’

In the meantime, several main BBC celebrities have acknowledged publicly they’re not the presenter being investigated. 

This night, Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker, grew to become the third distinguished BBC presenter to say they weren’t the BBC star going through the intense accusations.

At simply after 7pm, the soccer pundit tweeted: ‘Hate to disappoint the haters however it’s not me.’

Earlier on Saturday, Rylan, who has offered on BBC Radio Two amongst a string of different work, was the primary to declare he was not the host in query.

He wrote: ‘Undecided why my names floating about however re that story in The Solar – that ain’t me babe.

‘I am presently filming a present in Italy for the BBC, so take my identify out ya mouths.’

Vine then additionally distanced himself from the claims, including: Simply to say I am very a lot trying ahead to internet hosting my radio present on Monday — whoever the ‘BBC Presenter’ within the information is, I’ve the identical message for you as Rylan did earlier: it definitely ain’t me.’

Nicky Campbell appeared to recommend he had contacted police about being talked about in reference to the story.

He tweeted a screenshot which featured the Metropolitan Police emblem and the phrases: ‘Thanks for contacting the Metropolitan Police Service to report your crime.’

In his tweet, he wrote: ‘I believe it is essential to take a stand. There’s simply too many of those individuals on social media. Thanks to your help pals.’

The BBC’s tradition editor Katie Razzall mentioned the presenter’s continued presence on its content material after a critical allegation was made ‘results in questions on what steps the Company took after the criticism.’

She mentioned many questions have been nonetheless unanswered, together with how the investigation was undertaken and if it was applicable for the unnamed presenter to stay on air following the allegation.

BBC Information leisure correspondent Lizo Mzimba yesterday mentioned that the unnamed presenter is not going to seem on air within the close to future.

He informed the BBC Information channel: ‘We perceive that the presenter is presently not scheduled to be on air within the close to future.’