BBC presenter ‘sent abusive and menacing messages to person in their 20s’ 

The unnamed male BBC presenter at the heart of the row over alleged payment for sexually explicit photos sent abusive and menacing messages to a person in their 20s, it has been alleged. 

The individual in their 20s claims to have been contacted anonymously by the male presenter on a dating app. 

They claim they were put under pressure to meet with the star but never did, the BBC reported. 

When they hinted online that they might name the individual, they allege they were sent abusive messages that were filled with expletives.

The new claims raise further questions about the star’s conduct.  

It comes after BBC Director General Tim Davie today denied it is ‘odd’ that he is yet to speak to the star, who is accused of paying a teenager £35,000 for sexually explicit pictures.

According to the BBC, the conversation between the person in their 20s and the presenter moved onto other platforms after beginning on a dating app. 

The presenter then revealed his identity and asked the young person not to tell anyone.

The young person later posted online alluding to having had contact with a BBC presenter and hinting they might name him.

The presenter then sent a number of ‘threatening messages’ which the BBC says it has seen and confirmed came from a phone number belonging to the presenter.

The BBC said the young person felt ‘threatened’ by the messages and ‘remain scared’.

BBC News said it had contacted the presenter via his lawyer but had received no response to the allegations.

Earlier today, Mr Davie also suggested the privacy of the star was a consideration in why the corporation did not speak to the household name until almost two months after they first received a complaint from the teenager’s family.

Today he defended the seven-week delay between the initial complaint and confronting the presenter, insisting that the claims had to be verified first before being put to staff. 

But he admitted it was ‘fair’ to question why the ‘very serious’ complaint was only followed up by a single call and email to the teenager’s parents.

Asked if it was ‘odd’ that that he himself has not chatted to the presenter, Davie replied: ‘No’, adding: ‘I think it is critical they are spoken to by a very senior manager’. He was also asked if he knew ‘categorically’ whether or not the star paid for the alleged victim’s lawyer. He said: ‘That’s not information I am party to. I don’t even think that’s something for the BBC.’

But he did admit that the scandal had been ‘clearly damaging’ to the corporation’s reputation. ‘

The BBC is often in the midst of quite painful and difficult affairs and storms,’ he said before adding: ‘These are clearly damaging to the BBC it, is not a good situation.’

In a major update on the case, Mr Davie also said he had ‘paused’ their internal investigation while the police consider if any crimes have been committed after a meeting with Scotland Yard yesterday.