The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) suspended one of its senior presenters on Sunday following allegations that he paid a minor thousands of pounds for explicit photos when the young man was 17 years old. The BBC stated that it first learned of a complaint in May, but new allegations of a different nature have emerged on Thursday, and it has informed "external authorities," apparently referring to the police.
In a statement, the BBC remarked, "This is a complex and fast-evolving situation, and the BBC is working as quickly as possible to ascertain the confirmed facts in order to announce any necessary next steps appropriately." It emphasized that "it is important to handle these matters with integrity and caution" without delving into the details of the allegations.
Culture Secretary Lucy Fraser held urgent talks on Sunday with BBC Director-General Tim Davie about the allegations, which she described as "extremely concerning." Fraser tweeted: "Davie assured me that the BBC is investigating the matter swiftly and thoroughly." She added: "Given the nature of the allegations, it is important that the BBC is afforded enough time to conduct its investigation and establish the facts and take appropriate action."
The Sun newspaper, which was the first to report the allegations, quoted the minor's mother as saying that the unnamed presenter paid the minor over £35,000 ($45,000) over three years for the pictures. The mother informed the newspaper that the minor used this money to purchase crack cocaine, which is addictive. The newspaper stated that "the family lodged their complaint with the BBC on May 19, but the presenter was not immediately suspended," and added that "the family did not request any payment in exchange for their account."
