Family ‘upset’ with BBC response to presenter photo claims

The family of a teenager allegedly paid £35,000 by a BBC star for sexually explicit photos is said by the Sun to be upset by the corporation’s response.

The unnamed presenter has been suspended, and the BBC said it was working as quickly as possible to establish the facts.

It said it first learned of a complaint in May, but last week was told of new allegations “of a different nature”.

The BBC is meeting the Metropolitan Police later to discuss the matter.

Claims the presenter began paying the young person over a three-year period, starting when they were 17, were first reported in the Sun on Friday.

The mother of the young person told the paper her child had used the money to fund a crack cocaine habit.

Having reportedly made the BBC aware of their concerns on 19 May, the family said they became frustrated when the presenter remained on air and they then decided to approach the Sun, the paper said.

Concerns have been raised about the BBC’s complaints process – primarily, what steps were taken to question the unnamed presenter and to investigate further.

In a statement on Sunday announcing a staff member had been suspended, the BBC said it was working as fast as possible “to establish the facts in order to properly inform appropriate next steps”.

“The BBC first became aware of a complaint in May,” it said. “New allegations were put to us on Thursday of a different nature and in addition to our own enquiries we have also been in touch with external authorities, in line with our protocols.”

It added that the corporation expected to be in a position to provide a further update on the process in the coming days.

In a new story, published by the Sun on Sunday evening, the paper said the family of the young person was upset by the BBC’s latest statement.

They said “no one from the corporation rang them for a proper interview after the initial complaint”, the paper reported.

The Sun also claimed the BBC presenter made what it calls two “panicked calls” to the young person – who is now 20 – after the Sun’s report came out.

The presenter allegedly asked the young person “what have you done?” and asked them to ring their mother to get her to “stop the investigation”, the paper said.

BBC News has not been able to independently verify these claims.

BBC’s culture editor Katie Razzall said the corporation’s first statement appears to suggest its initial investigation may have been hampered by a lack of response from the family.

In the statement, released on Friday, the BBC said it did “actively” attempt to speak to “those who have contacted” them “to seek further detail and understanding of the situation”.

“If we get no reply to our attempts or receive no further contact that can limit our ability to progress things but it does not mean our enquiries stop.

“If, at any point, new information comes to light or is provided – including via newspapers – this will be acted upon appropriately, in line with internal processes,” added the BBC.

On Saturday, the mother of the young person warned that if the alleged payments continued, her child would “wind up dead”, the Sun reported.

The paper said she also claimed that an image of the presenter in his underwear had been taken as part of a video call with her child.

In a statement on Sunday evening, the Met Police said the force had been contacted by the BBC, but “no formal referral or allegation has been made”.

More information is needed before the police can determine what “further action should follow”, said a spokesperson for the Met.

In an email to BBC staff on Sunday, director general Tim Davie said such allegations were taken “incredibly seriously” and the corporation was working rapidly on ascertaining the facts and “to ensure that these matters are handled fairly and with care”.

He also condemned “unsubstantiated rumours” being made online about some presenters working at the BBC.

Following the first report by the Sun, a number of BBC presenters took to social media to deny they were the star in question including Rylan Clark, Jeremy Vine, Nicky Campbell and Gary Lineker.

The culture secretary Lucy Frazer also held urgent talks with Mr Davie on Sunday.

Speaking on Twitter, she said it was important to now give the BBC “space to conduct its investigation, establish the facts and take appropriate action”.

With stories like this one, BBC News journalists treat the BBC in the same way as any other organisation the news service reports on.

And like with any other organisation, BBC News has to ask BBC management or BBC services for responses and contact the BBC press office for official statements.

Occasionally BBC journalists approach senior managers for unplanned interviews – known as “doorsteps” in the news business.

They also sometimes also get offered interviews with management – like this one with Mr Davie over the Gary Lineker row.

And when this happens, they know they’ll be scrutinised within and outside the BBC over how well they hold their boss to account.