Tony Livesey: Who is he and why is he stepping back from BBC Radio 5 Live show?
Tony Livesey has said he is to ‘step back’ from his BBC radio show following Panorama allegations.
Following allegations made during a documentary, BBC radio presenter Tony Livesey has said he will “step back” from his show for “a short time”. Questions were raised about the 62-year-old in his previous career as the editor-in-chief of newspapers owned by David Sullivan.
During a Panorama investigation, allegations were made about the West Ham co-owner and Livesey. The BBC said it is taking the allegations “seriously” and Livesey would be stepping away from presenting his show on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Mr Sullivan, 77, recently quit as chairman of the east London football club to fight what he claimed were “false allegations” about his conduct. The accounts from the women date back to the 1980s and 1990s, when he owned tabloid newspapers the Daily Sport and the Sunday Sport.
On Monday (June 8), the BBC and The Times reported the accounts of seven women who claimed Mr Sullivan engaged in sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour. Mr Sullivan has denied the allegations.
The investigation also aired questions for Livesey, who edited the papers, with one alleged victim stating that he had arranged a meeting between her and Sullivan. Livesey told the Times he had “no recollection” of introducing the young woman to Sullivan and that it was “not part” of his job to do so.
A BBC spokesperson said: “The Panorama investigation included allegations about Tony Livesey which we take seriously. We also note Tony has firmly denied the allegations. He has asked to step back from presenting his radio show for a short period and we will be considering the matters raised by the programme. We will not be commenting further at this stage.”