BBC crisis deepens as presenter accused of 'menacing and bullying behaviour' by ANOTHER young person

BBC crisis deepens as presenter accused of 'menacing and bullying behaviour' by ANOTHER young person

A second young person say they feel 'threatened' by a BBC presenter at the centre of a scandal over payment for sexually explicit pictures

PA
Georgina Cutler

By Georgina Cutler


Published: 11/07/2023

- 16:08

Updated: 12/07/2023

- 07:34

The youngster said the threats had frightened them

The BBC says another young person has come forward with claims against an unnamed presenter who faces allegations they paid a teenager for sexually explicit images.

The individual in their early 20s told the BBC they were first contacted anonymously by the male presenter on a dating app.


After the two had first connected on the app, the conversation moved to other platforms when the presenter revealed his identity and told the young person not to tell anyone.

They claim they were pressured to meet up and when the young person suggested online they might name the star, they were sent abusive, expletive-filled messages.

Tim Davie

The BBC’s director-general, Tim Davie, has ordered a review to 'assess how some complaints are red flagged up the organisation; following the allegations

PA

BBC News says they have been able to verify that the messages were sent from a phone number belonging to the presenter.

It comes after the senior figure at the BBC is said to have asked another young person for images when they were 17-years-old.

The Sun, who first reported the allegations, narrowed down the presenter as a “male member of staff,” who earns a six-figure salary and is currently off air.

The second young person - who has no connection to the person at the centre of the Sun's story - said they had been scared by the power the presenter held.

These new allegations of menacing and bullying behaviour by the high-profile presenter have sparked fresh questions about his conduct.

The BBC’s director-general has ordered a review to “assess how some complaints are red flagged up the organisation” following the allegations.

Director-general Tim Davie was first informed of the allegations seven weeks after the family first complained about the presenter to the BBC - when The Sun said it would be publishing its front page story.

Davie told reporters this was because there was no response to the attempts to make contact and investigators could not verify the claims.

Speaking at a press conference about the BBC’s annual report, Davie said: “Of course there will be lessons to be learned, and how processes could be improved.

“Immediately I have asked that we assess how some complaints are red flagged up the organisation.

“We will take time to properly review the current protocols and procedures to ensure they remain sufficient based on anything we learn from this case.”

BBC News said it had contacted the presenter via his lawyer, but had received no response to the latest allegations.

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