The BBC has suspended a star presenter accused of paying thousands of pounds to a vulnerable teenager for explicit images and videos.
In a statement, the corporation said the “male staff member” would be taken off the air pending the outcome of a “complex and fast-moving” investigation.
The BBC said it was suspending the presenter following “new allegations” which were later made public in The Sun newspaper. The star cannot be identified for legal reasons.
In the statement, the BBC said: “The BBC takes any allegations seriously and we have robust internal processes in place to proactively address such allegations.
“This is a complex and fast-moving set of circumstances, and the BBC is working as quickly as possible to establish the facts in order to properly report the appropriate next steps. It is important that these matters are handled fairly and carefully.
“We have made it clear that if, at any point, new information comes to light or is provided to us, appropriate action will be taken and active follow-up will take place.
“The BBC first learned of a complaint in May. On Thursday, new complaints of a different nature were presented to us, and in addition to our own inquiries we have also been in contact with external authorities in accordance with our protocols.
“We can also confirm that a male staff member has been furloughed. We hope to be in a position to provide a further update in the coming days as the process continues. The BBC board will continue to keep you updated.”
This is a breaking story. More to follow.
