BBC presenter scandal: Director-general to face media as controversy deepens

The BBC’s director-general will face the media right this moment because the scandal over a high presenter deepens.

Tim Davie will communicate to journalists as he unveils the broadcaster’s annual report, which is ready to disclose how a lot its largest stars are paid.

But the briefing will seemingly be overshadowed by questions in regards to the unnamed superstar who has been suspended amid allegations he paid a young person for sexually express images.

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

The younger individual on the centre of the controversy has launched a press release to the BBC that claims nothing inappropriate or illegal occurred – describing allegations made by The Sun as “rubbish”.

Their lawyer added that the 20-year-old is estranged from their mom and stepfather, who made the claims to the newspaper.

In response, the younger individual’s mom instructed The Sun she stood by her claims, alleged the presenter “has got into their head”, and questioned how they have been capable of afford authorized illustration.

Meanwhile, their stepfather has accused the BBC of “not telling the truth” – and claimed the broadcaster had lied when it mentioned “new allegations” had led to the presenter’s suspension.

“I told them the youngster was 20 and it had been going on for three years. It’s not hard to do the maths,” he mentioned.

“I told the BBC I had gone to the police in desperation but they couldn’t do anything as they said it wasn’t illegal. They knew all of this.”

He went on to assert that the BBC ignored emails despatched on 19 May that allegedly included financial institution statements displaying funds made by the presenter.

The BBC earlier confirmed it had obtained a grievance in May.

Read extra:
Why aren’t journalists naming the presenter?
Everything we know so far
Presenter should only be named after ‘full’ investigation – justice secretary

What are the allegations?

According to The Sun, which first broke the story on Saturday, the presenter paid the younger individual about £35,000 in change for sexually express photographs throughout a three-year interval.

He allegedly started requesting the photographs in 2020 when the person was 17 years previous and made a sequence of funds through the years.

The particular person had reportedly used the cash to fund an dependancy to crack cocaine that had “destroyed” their life, in line with their mom.

It was additionally alleged the presenter stripped to his underwear throughout a video name with them.

The Metropolitan Police has been referred to as in over the claims however is but to open a legal investigation, with a press release saying the power is “assessing the information… and further enquiries are taking place to establish whether there is evidence of a criminal offence being committed”.

While The Sun has not revealed the identify of the star, they’ve mentioned he’s paid a six-figure wage and is at the moment off air.

Following the publication of allegations within the press, the presenter reportedly contacted the younger individual concerned – phoning them and asking: “What have you done?”

Plenty of high-profile presenters on the BBC – together with the likes of 5 Live’s Nicky Campbell, Eurovision’s Rylan and Top Gear’s Paddy McGuinness – have all been compelled to publicly deny they are the one who has been suspended, after social media customers named them on-line.