Some of BBC’s big names speak out following explicit photo allegations

The BBC says it has been in touch with 'external authorities' over the allegations. Photo / AP

BBC presenters Rylan Clark, Gary Lineker and Jeremy Vine are among those who have spoken out after their names have been mentioned on social media in the wake of the suspension of a presenter who allegedly paid a teenager for sexually explicit photos.

A BBC presenter, who has not been named, has been taken off air after the allegation surfaced that he had paid a teenager for sexually explicit photos.

Amid speculation on social media about the identity of the presenter, several of the BBC’s best-known stars spoke up to say it wasn’t them.

“Not sure why my names floating about but re that story in the sun- that ain’t me babe. I’m Currently filming a show in Italy for the bbc, so take my name out ya mouths,” presenter Rylan Clark posted on Twitter.

Not sure why my names floating about but re that story in the sun- that ain’t me babe. I’m Currently filming a show in Italy for the bbc, so take my name out ya mouths pic.twitter.com/6lZo45U6Pe

— R Y L A N (@Rylan) July 8, 2023

Gary Lineker also tweeted about the scandal.

“Hate to disappoint the haters but it’s not me,” he wrote on the social media platform.

Hate to disappoint the haters but it’s not me.

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) July 8, 2023

BBC radio presenter Jeremy Vine also shared a similar message after social media users started sharing his name, among others, in relation to the scandal.

“Just to say I’m very much looking forward to hosting my radio show on Monday — whoever the “BBC Presenter” in the news is, I have the same message for you as Rylan did earlier: it certainly ain’t me,” Vine wrote.

Just to say I'm very much looking forward to hosting my radio show on Monday — whoever the “BBC Presenter” in the news is, I have the same message for you as Rylan did earlier: it certainly ain't me.

— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) July 8, 2023

In other tweets, Vine also hinted at the possibility of taking legal action against those involving his name in connection to the allegations.

As senior British politicians urged a rapid investigation, the BBC said it was working to establish the facts of “a complex and fast-moving set of circumstances”.

The UK’s publicly funded national broadcaster was scrambling to head off a worsening crisis after The Sun newspaper reported allegations that the male presenter gave a youth £35,000 ($72,000) starting in 2020 when the young person was 17.

Though the age of sexual consent in Britain is 16, it’s a crime to make or possess indecent images of anyone under 18.

The Sun said the young person’s mother had complained to the BBC in May but that the presenter had remained on the air.

The BBC said in a statement on Sunday that it “first became aware of a complaint in May”, but that “new allegations were put to us on Thursday of a different nature”.

The broadcaster said “the BBC takes any allegations seriously and we have robust internal processes in place to proactively deal with such allegations”. It said the corporation had also been in touch with “external authorities”, but did not specify whether that was the police.

“This is a complex and fast-moving set of circumstances and the BBC is working as quickly as possible to establish the facts in order to properly inform appropriate next steps.

“We can also confirm a male member of staff has been suspended.”

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer held crisis talks with the broadcaster’s director-general about what she called “deeply concerning” allegations. She said director general Tim Davie had assured her the BBC was “investigating swiftly and sensitively”.

“Given the nature of the allegations, it is important that the BBC is now given the space to conduct its investigation, establish the facts and take appropriate action. I will be kept updated,” she wrote on social media.

- Additional reporting by AP