BBC in the Eye of a Storm Over Star Presenter Allegedly Paying for Explicit Teenage Photos

variety.com:

Naman Ramachandran U.K. broadcaster BBC is amidst a gathering storm over allegations that a star presenter paid for sexually explicit photographs of a teenager.

The scandal emerged on Friday when U.K. tabloid The Sun published a story alleging that a top BBC presenter paid a teenager more than £35,000 ($44,500) since they were 17 in exchange for explicit photographs. “The alleged recipient’s mother said they had used the cash to fund a crack habit,” The Sun wrote.

It is believed that the presenter – “a familiar face who is known to millions,” according to The Sun – was taken off air after the story broke.

On Saturday, fresh allegations emerged in the tabloid that the presenter stripped to their underwear for a video call. The Sun wrote, quoting the alleged victim’s mother who claimed to have seen the presenter on her child’s phone: “leaning forward, getting ready for my child to perform for him.” The mother’s claims are in a sworn affidavit provided to The Sun, the tabloid said, adding that the young person’s family complained to the BBC on May 19.