The star accused of paying a teenager for sexual images has been reported to police by the BBC and suspended.
But the corporation is still under fire for taking so long to act on a complaint made in May. BBC director general Tim Davie claimed the presenter was dropped after “new allegations” came to light.
Labour’s Rachel Reeves said: “The BBC needs to get a grip. We seem to lurch from one scandal to another.”
BBC bosses are under scrutiny over taking so long to suspend the presenter accused of paying a teenager £35,000 for sexual images over the past three years.
The broadcaster has now reported the allegations to police. But questions remained over why the star has only just been dropped, seven weeks after the allegations were made on May 19.
And it was claimed yesterday he had attended an awards ceremony along with BBC bosses last month.
Refusing to name the host also led to wild speculation online over the identity of the figure. Three stars, Gary Lineker, Rylan Clarke and Jeremy Vine, had to issue denials after their names were mentioned.
BBC director general Mr Davie claimed the reason for the delay was that the full picture only emerged last week, when the alleged victim’s mum gave new information to a newspaper.
But Labour’s Ms Reeves urged the BBC to get its house in order, after it was hit by the third scandal this year.
In a reference to Phillip Schofield quitting ITV over his affair with a young colleague, the Shadow Chancellor said: “The BBC, but also other broadcasters, need to get a grip because we seem to lurch from one scandal to another.
“The idea that some presenters think they can act with impunity and get away with these sorts of things calls into question the ethics, the investigations, how long these things take. When serious allegations are made I don’t think it is right that people stay in those jobs while investigations go on. There needs to be a full investigation.”
Former ITN boss Stewart Purvis said: “We want to know what was the BBC’s appetite for getting to the truth.”
One BBC colleague who was at the party with the presenter at the centre of the claims added: “If this man was aware of what was hanging over him, he certainly didn’t show it.” It is thought BBC bosses last week contacted a police unit which deals with crime involving high-profile individuals. The new information proved to be a “trigger” for more action.
It could have been that the alleged victim, now 20, was reportedly 17 when it was alleged they first started being paid for the explicit snaps.
It is an offence to “make, distribute, possess or show any indecent images of anyone aged under 18” even with their consent.
It is also an offence to ask a child under 18 to send a sexual image of themselves. Causing or inciting sexual exploitation of a child carries a maximum jail penalty of 14 years.
The Met said it has “received initial contact” from the BBC over the claims but no formal referral or allegation has been made.
In a message to staff, Mr Davie, who yesterday had a phone meeting with Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer over the scandal, insisted he took the claims “incredibly seriously”. He added: “The BBC became aware of a complaint in May.
“The investigations team have been looking into this and have been actively following up. New allegations, of a different nature, were put to us on Thursday, and in addition to our own enquiries we have also been in touch with external authorities. We have suspended a member of staff.”
The alleged victim’s mum claimed the presenter started paying for the pictures in 2020. She said the aim of her complaint to the BBC was to stop it happening but alleged a payment for £1,000 arrived in June.
The BBC was engulfed in scandal earlier this year after it suspended Match of the Day host Lineker for tweeting in defence of asylum seekers. It reinstated him after an outcry.
Chairman Richard Sharp later quit for not declaring his part in helping former PM Boris Johnson get a loan.
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BBC under fire over time it took to suspend presenter as 'celeb police unit' called in - The Mirror
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