LONDON, July  9, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - The BBC said Sunday it suspended a male 
member of staff following allegations that one of its presenters paid a 
teenager thousands of pounds for sexually explicit photos.

 UK culture minister Lucy Frazer said earlier she had spoken about the 
"deeply concerning" allegations with BBC Director General Tim Davie, who 
assured her the BBC is "investigating swiftly and sensitively". 

 The Sun newspaper, which first reported the claims, cited the young 
person's mother as saying that an unnamed BBC presenter paid her child over 
£35,000 ($45,000) for the images over a three-year period.

 It is also claimed that the presenter in question appeared on air for a 
month after the family of the young person -- who was said to be 17 when the 
payments started -- complained to the BBC in May.

 In a statement on Sunday, the BBC confirmed that it "first became aware of 
a complaint in May".

 "New allegations were put to us on Thursday of a different nature and in 
addition to our own enquiries we have also been in touch with external 
authorities, in line with our protocols," it added.

 The statement said that "a male member of staff has been suspended".

"This is a complex and fast moving set of circumstances and the BBC is 
working as quickly as possible to establish the facts in order to properly 
inform appropriate next steps," the BBC added.

 The BBC said it takes "any allegations seriously" and has "robust internal 
processes in place to proactively deal with such allegations".

 In an internal email sent to staff and quoted on the BBC website, Davie 
said he is "wholly condemning the unsubstantiated rumours being made on the 
internet about some of our presenting talent". 

  Since The Sun published the allegations, some BBC presenters have taken to 
social media to deny that they are the broadcaster in question. 

 The British broadcaster, whose chairman resigned in April after an inquiry 
found he failed to disclose a loan to ex-prime minister Boris Johnson, has come 
under fire over its handling of the claim.

 Former home secretary and an MP from the ruling Conservative party, Priti 
Patel, has said the BBC's response was "derisory", adding: "They must provide 
the victim and his family a full and transparent investigation". 

 "The BBC, but also other broadcasters, do need to get a grip because we 
seem to lurch from one scandal to another and more needs to be done," 
opposition Labour party lawmaker Rachel Reeves told Sky News on Sunday. 

 In May, British star TV host Phillip Schofield resigned from the ITV 
channel after admitting to an "unwise but not illegal" relationship with a 
younger colleague.