A top BBC star has reportedly been taken off air pending an investigation after claims emerged that he paid a vulnerable teenager more than £35,000 for sexual images.
The well-known presenter allegedly began paying the teenager when they were 17, and sent them the money which they used to fund a crack cocaine addiction.
The child’s mother, who has made the shocking allegations, told the Sun she feels ‘sick’ whenever she sees the man on TV.
The star was said to have requested ‘performances’ from the individual, who told their mother they would then ‘get their bits out’.
The family made a formal complaint to the BBC in May, begging the corporation to stop the behaviour towards their child, now 20.
It is claimed he sent hundreds or even thousands of pounds at once, once depositing a sum of £5,000 in the teenager’s bank account.
The stricken mother said: ‘Whenever I see him on telly, I feel sick.
‘I blame this BBC man for destroying my child’s life — taking my child’s innocence and handing over the money for crack cocaine that could kill my child.’
She continued: ‘The money had been in exchange for sexually explicit photographs of my child.’
The star, said to be known to millions, allegedly requested ‘performances’ from the teenager, who used the cash to fund their spiralling drug habit.
The explicit messages are said to have started in 2020. The family said the star did not hide his identity and even sent photographs to the teen while he was at work.
The mother told the Sun their child went from a ‘happy-go-lucky youngster to a ghost-like crack addict’ in just three years.It is claimed that even after the family complained, the star continued to send money and remained on air.
A BBC spokesperson said: ‘We treat any allegations very seriously and we have processes in place to proactively deal with them.
‘As part of that, if we receive information that requires further investigation or examination, we will take steps to do this.
‘That includes actively attempting to speak to those who have contacted us in order to seek further detail and understanding of the situation.’
