BBC scandal LIVE: Updates as pressure mounts on BBC to name presenter

Pressure is mounting on the BBC to name the presenter accused of paying thousands of pounds to a teenager in exchange for sexually explicit photographs. The scandal, which erupted on Friday night, has resulted in the unnamed presenter being suspended by the corporation. BBC bosses are due to meet Metropolitan Police representatives today to discuss the situation. Meanwhile, criticism of the way in which the broadcaster has handled the situation is mounting, which one prominent critic calling for the individual in question to be named. High-profile figures including Rylan Clark, Gary Lineker and Nicky Campbell have already made public announcements denying any involvement. Broadcasting House in London (Image: GETTY) Rebecca Ryan, campaign director of Defund the BBC , told GB News : ‘They need to say who the presenter is, first and foremost. ‘Because at the moment the likelihood is that people are wondering who it is. ‘And therefore, this sort of negative viewpoint is being cast on all the male presenters at the BBC . ‘So I would have thought they would all be looking for the name to be released and for full disclosure of what’s happened and full transparency. ‘Because what we see from the BBC is that they try and brush everything under the carpet, and then they spend years sort of hoping it goes away and then they do their own internal reviews and then they whitewash it. ‘And that’s simply not acceptable anymore. We’ve seen it enough times and the public aren’t prepared to keep paying for it’. A statement issued by the BBC on Saturday said: ‘The BBC first became aware of a complaint in May. New allegations were put to us on Thursday of a different nature and in addition to our own enquiries we have also been in touch with external authorities, in line with our protocols. ‘We can also confirm a male member of staff has been suspended. ‘We expect to be in a position to provide a further update in the coming days as the process continues. The BBC Board will continue to be kept up to date.’ THIS IS A LIVE BLOG – SCROLL DOWN FOR REGULAR UPDATES 59 seconds ago 10:17 Ciaran McGrath Cabinet minister Alex Chalk said suggestions the BBC allowed a presenter to stay on air despite allegations made that they paid a teenager for sexually explicit images were “astonishing”. The Justice Secretary told Sky News: “If that is right, then it is astonishing and you would have expected robust action to have been taken much more quickly. “I don’t know precisely what was said, and that is why there needs to be a full discussion of this in the fullness of time.” On the internal BBC investigation, Mr Chalk said: “I want them to get on with it.” 4 mins ago 10:14 Ciaran McGrath The BBC is to meet the Metropolitan Police today as the corporation deals with the fallout from the allegations. According to BBC News, the corporation will meet the Metropolitan Police later “to discuss the matter”. The BBC has said it had been investigating a complaint since May, when it was first made aware, and that new allegations of a “different nature” were brought to it on Thursday. As well as being in touch with the police, the corporation is carrying out its own inquiries and talking to the young person’s family. In a statement on Sunday evening, the Metropolitan Police said: “The Met has received initial contact from the BBC in relation to this matter, but no formal referral or allegation has been made. “We will require additional information before determining what further action should follow.” 15 mins ago 10:03 Ciaran McGrath The BBC presenter at the centre of the sex scandal which is rocking the corporation reportedly made two desperate phone calls to the family of the 17-year-old boy involved frantically asking: ‘What have you done?’ BBC representatives are set to meet the Metropolitan Police on Monday as the corporation deals with claims that the unnamed presenter paid the teenager more than £35,000 for sexually explicit images. The presenter in question was suspended yesterday, and The Sun reporting details of two panicked phone calls which it says he made after the news broke. In one he asked: ‘What have you done?’ and demanded the young man, who is now aged 20, called his mother to ask her to ‘stop the investigation’. CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY 19 mins ago 09:59 Ciaran McGrath Asked about the presenter in question’s right to privacy, Ms Ryan added: “They have had seven weeks and I think the thing is, what they need to have done in that timeframe is to have looked at what the allegations were.” Speculating that possibly the presenter may have come into contact with the teenager via OnlyFan, she added: “Let’s investigate these things. “Turn it around quickly, and then we would have some answers and then we can have a debate about what that means or whether a big name BBC presenter should be using OnlyFans. “Let’s have the open debate because this is an organisation that’s paid for currently by the British taxpayer.” 50 mins ago 09:28 Ciaran McGrath Pressure is mounting on the BBC to name the presenter accused of paying thousands of pounds to a teenager in exchange for sexually explicit photographs. The scandal, which erupted on Friday night, has resulted in the unnamed presenter being suspended by the corporation. BBC bosses meeting Metropolitan Police representatives today to discuss the situation. Meanwhile criticism of the way in which the broadcaster has handled the situation is mounting, which one prominent critic calling for the individual in question to be named. pressure mounts on BBC to name presenter