Why isn’t the BBC presenter being named by the media?-Stella Akinwumi-Entertainment – Metro

It’s been claimed that the presenter made ‘panicked’ calls to the teenager (Picture: Shutterstock)

The BBC has suspended a male staff member following allegations a presenter paid a teenager tens of thousands of pounds for sexually explicit images – however, the identity of that person has not been revealed publicly.

It’s been claimed that the unidentified individual paid a teenager more than £35,000 for the imagery, from when the youngster was 17 years old.

The now-20-year-old’s mother said that the money funded their child’s drug addiction, while she revealed that she allegedly saw a picture of the well-known BBC star in their underwear.

A BBC spokesperson has stressed that the BBC has ‘been clear’ that ‘if – at any point – new information comes to light or is provided to us, this will be acted upon appropriately and actively followed up.’

After rumours began swirling on social media about who the man may be, various TV personalities including Rylan Clark and Jeremy Vine have shut down claims that they are the unnamed BBC star.

Why isn’t the BBC presenter being named by the media?

BBC boss Tim Davie said that the BBC is in contact ‘with the family referenced in the media reports’ (Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images)

According to MailOnline, BBC boss Tim Davie wrote a note to staff explaining why the presenter has not been named.

He said: ‘By law, individuals are entitled to a reasonable expectation of privacy, which is making this situation more complex.

‘I also want to be very clear that I am wholly condemning the unsubstantiated rumours being made on the internet about some of our presenting talent.’

A media law expert has also explained that the media is not publicly releasing the name of the suspended BBC presenter through fear of defamation and breaching his privacy.

Mark Stephens, media law expert and partner at Howard Kennedy, told the PA news agency the law was changed after Sir Cliff Richard won a privacy case against the BBC over its coverage of a South Yorkshire Police raid on his home in Sunningdale, Berkshire, in August 2014.

Sir Cliff was falsely accused of historical sex offences. He denied the allegations and was never arrested and in June 2016 prosecutors announced he would face no charges.

Mr Stephens told PA: ‘Back in July 2018, the law changed in the Cliff Richard case and what was decided was that while an investigation was going on, the balance between right to privacy and freedom of expression or the public’s right to know, favoured keeping things private.’

Since news broke that a household name was at the centre of claims he paid more than £35,000 in exchange for sexual images, questions have been asked why the name of the BBC star has not been published.

The corporation has been in touch with the police and confirmed a male member of staff has been suspended and, according to BBC News, the corporation will meet the Metropolitan Police later today ‘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.’

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