BBC presenter accused of paying teen for explicit photos rang them asking 'what have you done?'

Pressure is mounting on the BBC as it deals with allegations that an unnamed presenter paid a teenager tens of thousands of pounds for sexually explicit images.

The corporation has been in touch with the police and confirmed a male member of staff has been suspended, while The Sun reported the presenter at the centre of the allegations made “panicked” calls to the young person last week.

The newspaper said the presenter allegedly asked “what have you done?”, adding that it is claimed he asked them to ring their mother to get her to “stop the investigation”.

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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 conducting 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.”

BBC director-general Tim Davie is due to face the media on Tuesday for a scheduled briefing following the release of the corporation’s annual report, but the growing crisis involving the unnamed presenter will dominate the event.

Mr Davie has said he is “wholly condemning the unsubstantiated rumours being made on the internet about some of our presenting talent” after a host of famous BBC faces were forced to publicly state they were not the individual in question amid heavy speculation about the identity