Summary

1. A BBC presenter accused of paying a teenager for sexually explicit photographs has been suspended, the corporation says
2. It says it is “working as quickly as possible to establish the facts” into the allegations concerning the as-yet unnamed male presenter
3. In an email to staff on Sunday, the BBC’s director general said he was taking the allegations “incredibly seriously”
4. Tim Davie said the situation was “complex” and that the corporation has been in contact with “external authorities”
5. The Metropolitan Police says it has received initial contact from the BBC “but no formal referral or allegation has been made”
6. Earlier on Sunday, the culture secretary said she spoke to Davie about the “deeply concerning” claims
7. The allegations, first reported by the Sun on Friday, are that the BBC presenter paid £35,000 for explicit photos over a three-year period, starting when the teenager was 17
8. The mother of the young person told the Sun on Sunday her child had used the money to fund a crack cocaine habit

Sun publishes new story about BBC presenter

Katie Razzall

Culture and media editor

Tonight the Sun has a new story that has recently been published on its website and will be on its front page tomorrow.

It claims the un-named BBC presenter made what it says were two “panicked calls” to the young person after the Sun’s revelations, allegedly saying “what have you done?” and asking them to ring their mum and get her to “stop the investigation”. 

We don’t know the truth of it. The Sun also says the family is upset by the BBC’s statement today – and claims “no-one from the corporation rang them for a proper interview after the initial complaint”. 

The BBC said previously it did “actively” attempt 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,” the corporation said.

On Saturday, the Sun says, the family handed a dossier of evidence to the BBC.

Presenters are a conduit for trust in the BBC

Lizo Mzimba

Culture correspondent

If the unnamed individual is, as the Sun says, a top BBC presenter, that will of course make matters all the more difficult for the corporation.

It relies on the trust it has with audiences for what it does. And its presenters are the conduit for so much of that trust.

If the allegations prove to be true, it will be a bitter blow for that particular link between the BBC and its audiences.

Davie due before reporters on Tuesday

As we mentioned earlier, BBC director general Tim Davie will appear before the media on Tuesday to answer their questions following the release of the corporation’s annual report.

These reports are an assessment of the BBC’s performance over the last 12 months.

Davie said in an email to staff today that the BBC took the allegations against the unnamed presenter “incredibly seriously”.

A separate BBC statement said the corporation expects to be in a position to provide further updates on the situation in the coming days.

For more on this story go to: BBC