Friday the Suna British tabloid, wrote that a presenter of the BBC, the British national television, would have given 35,000 pounds, about 41,000 euros, to a teenager in exchange for some sexually explicit photos. The girl’s family told the story Sun after trying to officially complain to the BBC in May, without consequences. Now in the United Kingdom the story has taken on national significance and the Minister of Culture Lucy Frazer has organized an urgent meeting with the director general of the broadcaster to understand how to proceed with internal investigations.
According to what was reported by the girl’s family, whose identity is unknown but who would have been 20 today, the presenter (of whom in turn the Sun did not publish name) first contacted her when he was 17 years old. The two would have exchanged photos and organized video calls: at least in one case he would have presented himself in his underwear in front of the camera.
The family say the girl used the money she was given to develop a crack addiction, and went to the press because they feared the girl would die if the payments continued. After the family informed the BBC of his concerns on May 19, however, the man continued to appear on the air. Following the publication of the news in the Sun the BBC he said the presenter would not appear on television again in the foreseeable future, but it was unclear whether he had formally suspended him.