Top BBC star is taken off air after ‘paying teenager £35,000 for sexual pictures’
- The well-known presenter is said to have asked the teenager for ‘performances’
A top BBC star has reportedly been taken off air pending an investigation after claims emerged that he paid a vulnerable teenager more than £35,000 for sexual images.
The well-known presenter allegedly began paying the teenager when they were 17, and sent them the money which they used to fund a crack cocaine addiction.
The child’s mother, who has made the shocking allegations, told the Sun she feels ‘sick’ whenever she sees the man on TV.
The family is said to have made a formal complaint to the BBC in May, begging the corporation to stop the man’s behaviour towards their child, now 20.
It is claimed he sent hundreds or even thousands of pounds at once, once depositing a sum of £5,000 in the teenager’s bank account.
The presenter at the heart of the investigation has reportedly been taken off air
The stricken mother said: ‘Whenever I see him on telly, I feel sick.
‘I blame this BBC man for destroying my child’s life — taking my child’s innocence and handing over the money for crack cocaine that could kill my child.’
She continued: ‘The money had been in exchange for sexually explicit photographs of my child.’
The star, said to be known to millions, allegedly requested ‘performances’ from the teenager, who used the cash to fund their spiralling drug habit.
The mother told the Sun their child went from a ‘happy-go-lucky youngster to a ghost-like crack addict’ in just three years.
It is claimed that even after the family complained, the star continued to send money.
A BBC spokesperson told the paper: ‘We treat any allegations very seriously and we have processes in place to proactively deal with them.
‘As part of that, if we receive information that requires further investigation or examination, we will take steps to do this.
‘That includes actively attempting to speak to those who have contacted us in order to seek further detail and understanding of the situation.
‘If, at any point, new information comes to light or is provided — including via newspapers — this will be acted upon appropriately, in line with internal processes.’
