BBC presenter scandal: Stars speak out ‘after top presenter paid teen for explicit photos’

The BBC has been urged to act “very swiftly” to deal with the claims centring on an unnamed presenter alleged to have paid a teenager for sexually explicit images.

Government minister Victoria Atkins described the claims reported by the Sun as “very, very serious” as questions over the broadcaster’s handling of the situation were raised.

Ms Atkins, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “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.”

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves urged the broadcasters to “speed up their processes” in investigating such allegations.

The Labour MP told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “I do feel that I often come on this programme and we do start with another crisis at the BBC.

The BBC presenter has been accused of paying a teenager over £35,000 in exchange for sexual photos.

The mother of the victim claimed the money was used to fund a “cocaine addiction” which “destroyed” her child’s life.

Neither the presenter nor the victim have been identified.

Several high profile figures have spoken out about the allegations to deny any involvement.

Writing on Twitter, TV presenter Rylan Clark said: “Not sure why my names floating about but re that story in the sun- that ain’t me babe. I’m Currently filming a show in Italy for the bbc, so take my name out ya mouths.”

Shortly afterwards, radio star Jeremy Vine also responded to the story, telling his Twitter followers: “It certainly ain’t me”.

Gary Lineker tweeted: “Hate to disappoint the haters but it’s not me.”

Nicky Campbell appeared to suggest he had contacted police about being mentioned in connection with the story.

And government minister Victoria Atkins called on the BBC to “act swiftly” to deal with the allegations.

“These are very serious allegations and I can quite understand the public’s concern about them,” she added.

The BBC presenter at the centre of claims he paid a teenager for explicit pictures should not stay in his job while an investigation is carried out, Rachel Reeves has said.

The shadow chancellor told the Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme on Sky News the allegations are “deeply concerning”.

Ms Reeves said: “The idea that some presenters think that they act with impunity and they can get away with these sorts of things, it does call into question the ethics, the investigations, how long these things take.

“The BBC, but also other broadcasters, do need to get a grip because we seem to lurch from one scandal to another and more needs to be done.”

She added: “When serious allegations are made like this I don’t think it is right that people stay in those jobs while those very serious investigations go on.”

In response to the report, a BBC spokesperson said: “We treat any allegations very seriously and we have processes in place to proactively deal with them.

“As part of that, if we receive information that requires further investigation or examination we will take steps to do this.

“That includes actively attempting to speak to those who have contacted us in order 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.”

Speaking about the allegations, the mother of the victim told The Sun how her child, now 20, had gone from a “happy-go-lucky youngster to a ghost-like crack addict” in three years.

She said: “When I see him on telly, I feel sick.

“I blame this BBC man for destroying my child’s life.

“Taking my child’s innocence and handing over the money for crack cocaine that could kill my child.”

The unknown presenter is reportedly a BBC star who has been taken off air since the allegation emerged.

After the story was published, Mr Clark said: “Not sure why my names floating about but re that story in the sun- that ain’t me babe. I’m Currently filming a show in Italy for the bbc, so take my name out ya mouths.”

A top BBC presenter accused of paying a teenager thousands of pounds for explicit pictures stripped to his underwear while on a video call, the mother of the alleged victim has claimed.

It is alleged that the TV star paid more than £35,000 in exchange for sexual images and that the teenager used the money to fund a cocaine addiction, which “destroyed” their life.

The mother described how her child, who was said to be 17 when the payments began, turned from a “happy-go-lucky youngster” to a “ghost-like crack addict” in three years.

Neither the presenter nor the teenager has been identified. The presenter has reportedly been taken off air over the claims.