BBC presenter allegations: photo claims are 'deeply concerning' says UK government

A Government minister has said the BBC director-general has assured her the corporation is “investigating swiftly and sensitively” into allegations that an unnamed presenter paid a teenager for sexually explicit images.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer described the allegations reported by The Sun newspaper as “deeply concerning” and said the broadcaster now needs to be given space to investigate the matter and take appropriate action. Her comments come after the she urgently spoke to Mr Davie on Sunday (9 July) as the BBC came under pressure over its handling of the complaint.

Following the phone call, she tweeted: “I have spoken to BBC director-general Tim Davie about the deeply concerning allegations involving one of its presenters. He has assured me the BBC are investigating swiftly and sensitively.”

She added: “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.”

The newspaper said the BBC star paid the person, said to have been 17 when the payments began, £35,000 in exchange for the images.

A DCMS spokeswoman previously said: “These allegations are deeply concerning. As a public service broadcaster in receipt of public funding, senior officials have stressed to the BBC that the allegations must be investigated urgently and sensitively, with the department kept informed.”

It is the latest crisis for Mr Davie to respond to after he survived calls to resign over his handling of Gary Lineker being briefly taken off air in March after the football pundit criticised Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s “cruel” asylum policy.