Jeremy Vine has urged an unnamed BBC star at the centre of allegations about payments to a young person for explicit images to reveal themself publicly.
Vine, a presenter on BBC’s Radio 2, said they should “now come forward publicly” as the corporation is “on its knees”.
The crisis at the corporation deepened on Tuesday when the BBC’s news division reported that the male presenter had sent abusive messages to a second person, aged in their early 20s.
Amid speculation on social media about the identity of the presenter, several of the BBC’s best-known stars have spoken up to say it wasn’t them.
Vine tweeted on Tuesday: “I’m starting to think the BBC presenter involved in the scandal should now come forward publicly. These new allegations will result in yet more vitriol being thrown at perfectly innocent colleagues of his. And the BBC, which I’m sure he loves, is on its knees with this. But it is his decision and his alone.”
The BBC on Sunday suspended a member of staff following an allegation in The Sun newspaper that one of its star presenters paid a teenager to pose for sexually explicit photos. Neither the star, nor the youth, was identified.
The Metropolitan Police said on Monday there is “no investigation at this time” into the claims.
Later on Monday, the BBC reported on a letter from a lawyer acting for the young person claiming that The Sun’s allegations are “rubbish” and that “nothing inappropriate or unlawful has taken place between our client and the BBC personality”.