BBC presenter: Second young person comes forward with allegations
BBC. (Getty)
Fresh allegations have been made against the unnamed BBC presenter suspended following claims he made payment for sexual images of a young person.
A second individual has come forward to BBC News, claiming that the presenter in question sent them “abusive, expletive-filled messages” after a exchange on a dating app.
This person was in their early 20s when they connected with the presenter, BBC News reported. They told the corporation they felt pressured to meet in real life, but didn’t, and that when they suggested online they might name the presenter, they received a barrage of frightening messages.
BBC News said it had verified that the messages came from a phone belonging to the presenter, and that it had contacted the presenter directly and via his lawyer but had received no response regarding the allegations. His identity has not been made public, though false speculation has prompted several BBC stars to speak out.
It comes after initial allegations were made in The Sun newspaper against the presenter.
The mother of a young person, now aged 20, said the presenter had paid £35,000 to their child in exchange for sexually explicit images, and that they had used the money to fund a drug addition. The alleged exchange is said to have begun when the young person was 17.
On Monday (10 July), the young person issued a statement via their lawyer calling these claims “rubbish” and insisting that nothing illegal had taken place.
The BBC has met with the Metropolitan Police to discuss the allegations, with officers asking the corporation to pause its own investigation while it assesses whether there is scope for a criminal investigation.
The broadcaster has faced criticism over its handling of the allegations. The mother of the first young person claims she was sidelined after making a complaint in May and asking the BBC to intervene.
Director general Tim Davie has confirmed that it took until Thursday (6 July), the day before The Sun’s story was published, for bosses to speak to the presenter.
