The Culture Secretary is holding urgent talks today with BBC director-general Tim Davie over the “deeply concerning” allegation a presenter paid a teenager for sexually explicity images.
Senior officials have told the broadcaster the allegations reported by The Sun newspaper must be investigated “urgently and sensitively”, with the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) kept updated.
What happened?
A presenter has been accused of paying a teen more than £35,000 since they were 17 in return for explicit images, sending the corporation into a panic.
In a statement, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said the allegations were “deeply concerning” and said the BBC must investigate urgently and sensitively.
The DCMS spokeswoman said: “These allegations are deeply concerning.
“As a public service broadcaster in receipt of public funding, senior officials have stressed to the BBC that the allegations must be investigated urgently and sensitively, with the department kept informed.
“The Culture Secretary will be speaking to Tim Davie later today.”
Piers Morgan today said the claims made against the BBC “will rock Britain”.
The mother of the alleged victim has blamed the unnamed presenter for “destroying [her] child’s life” and says the money handed over was used to fuel the child’s crack cocaine addiction.
She added how her now 20-year-old child showed her an online bank statement which included deposits from the BBC presenter.
It is also claimed the young person’s family allegedly had complained to the BBC on May 19 but despite this, the presenter stayed on air and they became frustrated.
As calls are growing for the star to be publicly named, other high-profile presenters have come out to denying involvement.
Which BBC stars have denied involvement?
In the last 24 hours, Jeremy Vine, Gary Lineker and others have already spoken out publicly.
Mr Lineker told his followers on Twitter on Saturday evening: “Hate to disappoint the haters but it’s not me.”
Rylan Clark also took to Twitter with rage after his name had been “floating about”.
The former Strictly It Takes Two Presenter said: “That ain’t me babe. I’m Currently filming a show in Italy for the bbc, so take my name out ya mouths.” (sic)
Meanwhile, BBC 5 Live presenter Nicky Campbell hit out at a troll who claimed it was him.
In a now-deleted tweet, the internet user had posted a photograph of Nicky, writing: “This is the BBC host who paid teenager for sexually explicit photos. £35,000 paid for the photos #Disgusting.”
Mr Campbell shared a screenshot of the original tweet which featured the Metropolitan Police logo and the words: “Thank you for contacting the Metropolitan Police Service to report your crime.”
He said: “I think it’s important to take a stand. There’s just too many of these people on social media. Thanks for your support, friends.”
Also tweeting about the scandal, Jeremy Vine wrote: “Just to say I’m very much looking forward to hosting my radio show on Monday — whoever the ‘BBC Presenter’ in the news is, I have the same message for you as Rylan did earlier: it certainly ain’t me.”
Why is the BBC being criticised?
Former home secretary Dame Priti Patel called the BBC’s response to the scandal “derisory” and demand the company carry out a “full and transparent investigation”.
She added: “The BBC which is funded by licence fee payers has become a faceless and unaccountable organisation.”
And Victoria Atkins, the financial secretary to the Treasure told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme: “These are very, very serious allegations and the BBC have said they have processes in place.
“But as public attention and concern grows the BBC is going to have to act very swiftly to deal with these allegations and to set out what they are doing to investigate them.”
A spokesman for the Met told i: “As far as we’re aware there have been no reports to the Met and there is no Met investigation.”
