An investigation is reportedly underway following allegations that a prominent BBC presenter had paid a teenager thousands of pounds in return for sexually explicit images.
According to reports, the anonymous presenter handed over £35,000 to the 17-year-old in exchange for the photos. The teen’s mother claims her child used the money to fund a crack cocaine addiction. The presenter in question has not been identified, and the BBC say they are currently looking into the matter.
Speaking to The Sun, the teen’s mother described how her child had gone from being a “happy-go-lucky kid” to a “ghost-like addict” in a very short time. She also claimed that he had sent £5,000 in one lump sum at one point.
On May 19, the family reached out to the BBC pleading with them to get the man to “stop sending cash”. In an emotional statement, they blamed him for “destroying my child’s life”.
The BBC have since confirmed that the presenter is not scheduled to be on air again in the foreseeable future. However, it remains unclear what actions, if any, will be taken following this troubling news.
Reports suggest that the messages began as early as 2020 but the culprit was careful enough to cover his tracks and remain unidentified.
When asked about these allegations, a spokesman for the BBC commented: “We take all accusations gravely seriously and have established procedures in place designed to address them. Upon receiving info that warrants further exploration, we reach out to those who came forward in an effort to gather detailed information about this situation. If, unfortunately, no response is given or there is no follow-up contact then it makes our job more difficult; however, that does not imply that our investigations stop. In such an event where new evidence emerges or is submitted – by newspapers or otherwise – we will act accordingly following internal protocols.”