- A BBC presenter has been accused of paying a teenager for sexually explicit photographs.
- The mother of the victim said that her child had gone from a “happy-go-lucky youngster to a ghost-like crack addict” in three years.
- “All I want is for this man to stop paying my child for sexual pictures and stop him funding my child’s drug habit,” she told The Newspaper.
- The man is said to have paid the youth more than £35,000 since 2020.
- BBC spokesperson said: “We treat any allegations very seriously, and we have processes in place to proactively deal with them.
A BBC presenter has been accused of paying a teenager for sexually explicit photographs, beginning when they were 17, according to a leading newspaper. The newspaper reported that the unnamed male presenter had paid the alleged victim tens of thousands of pounds.
It is understood that the BBC is looking into the allegations and that the star is currently not scheduled to be on air in the coming days. The Newspaper said the young person’s family complained to the BBC on 19 May.
The family is reported to have become frustrated that the star remained on air. The mother told the paper that the anonymous individual, now aged 20, had used the money from the presenter to fund a crack cocaine habit. She described to the paper how her child had gone from a “happy-go-lucky youngster to a ghost-like crack addict” in three years.
The corporation said the information would be “acted upon appropriately”. The broadcaster has reportedly launched an investigation after allegations about the well-known star were made in May. The man is said to have paid the youth more than £35,000 since 2020.
The BBC has said it takes “any allegations very seriously” following claims that one of its male presenters paid a teenager more than £35,000 for sexually explicit photos. The unnamed “household name” allegedly first requested images from the youth when they were aged 17 back in 2020 and has made a series of payments over the years, according to The Newspaper.
No one involved has been named.
She claimed the presenter requested “performances” and that her offspring had used the cash to fund an addiction to crack cocaine – which had “destroyed” their life. “All I want is for this man to stop paying my child for sexual pictures and stop him funding my child’s drug habit,” she told The Newspaper.
In a statement, a BBC spokesperson said: “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.”
They added: “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 inquiries 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.”
(With inputs from agencies)
