BBC presenter scandal: Jeremy Vine urges unnamed star to come forward after fresh claims
Broadcaster Jeremy Vine has said he believes the BBC presenter accused of paying a teenager thousands of pounds for sexually explicit photos “should now come forward publicly”.
The BBC Radio 2 broadcaster made the remarks after a second person came forward with a complaint about the unnamed presenter.
The individual in their early 20s told BBC News they felt threatened by the presenter at the centre of the scandal that has dominated headlines.
BBC presenter latest: New claims against presenter
“These new allegations will result in yet more vitriol being thrown at perfectly innocent colleagues of his,” Vine tweeted.
“And the BBC, which I’m sure he loves, is on its knees with this.
“But it is his decision and his alone.”
Vine was one of a host of BBC presenters forced to deny being the unnamed star at the centre of scandal, tweeting that “it certainly ain’t me”.
But Richard Bacon, a former BBC radio host, disagreed – saying: “Stop it. You’re more emotionally intelligent than this. We don’t know the complexities of what his family are going through. Or what dark thoughts are running through his head. Irrespective of what he’s done wrong. You can walk off people wrongly guessing it’s you for five minutes.”
Late on Tuesday, further allegations were published by The Sun newspaper – claiming the presenter had broken lockdown rules to meet an individual in their 20s, and had sent “creepy” messages to a 17-year-old in 2018.
The latest allegations add further pressure on the BBC after it suspended the unnamed star over the weekend.
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Questions BBC haven’t answered
Presenter ‘should take control of narrative’
During a special Sky News programme on the BBC scandal, a crisis management expert advised the unnamed presenter to come forward and “take control of the narrative”.
Asked what she would tell the presenter to do, Lauren Beeching said: “Now we have the second person coming forward, without a doubt I’d now be saying ‘you just need to come clean’.
“That would be my personal advice. That’s the only way the person being accused right now can take control of the narrative.”
She said she suspects the presenter will be named “imminently” and it would be “very compelling if he can prove any slight innocence in this, if there’s any evidence he has, [he should] put it out there”.
The presenter should come clean for the sake of his colleagues, she added, as “they’re being scrutinised and it’s just not fair on them”.
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Online impact of the BBC allegations
Other BBC stars speak out
Several other stars have spoken out to distance themselves from the allegations.
BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Nicky Campbell appeared to reveal he had gone to the police after being wrongly named as the man online, posting a screenshot on Twitter which said: “Thank you for contacting the Metropolitan Police Service to report your crime.”
Match Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker tweeted: “Hate to disappoint the haters but it’s not me.”
TV and radio host Rylan Clark tweeted: “Not sure why my names floating about but re that story in the sun – that ain’t me babe.”
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Several other presenters have also been falsely named on social media but have so far decided not to issue public denials.
Assisted dying could become legal in England and Wales after the bill was backed by MPs in a historic vote.
Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill received 330 yes votes compared to 275 noes at its second reading in the House of Commons – a majority of 55.
Politics Live: MPs voting on historic assisted dying legislation
The bill would allow adults who are terminally ill with just six months left to live to request medical assistance to end their lives.
Today’s result means the legislation will now progress to the committee stage for scrutiny, with the Lords also to be given opportunities to express their views on the measure before it potentially becomes law.
MPs were given a free vote – meaning they could side with their conscience and not along party lines, with the government staying neutral on the matter.
The division list showed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer backed the proposal, as did Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
But other cabinet members like Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood voted against the bill, having previously warned about vulnerable people being coerced and of a “slippery slope of death on demand”.
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MPs debate assisted dying
The vote came after a five-hour debate in the chamber, which drew emotional arguments on both sides.
Conservative former minister Andrew Mitchell revealed he changed his mind on assisted dying after finding himself with “tears pouring down my face” on hearing the stories of constituents whose loved ones had died “in great pain and great indignity”.
On the other side of the argument, veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott said assisted dying could result in sick people “feeling like a burden” on society, adding: ” I can imagine myself saying that in particular circumstances.”
She warned: “If this bill passes, we will have the NHS as a fully-funded 100% suicide service but palliative care will only be funded at 30% at best.”
Bill about ‘choice and dignity’
Opening the debate on the topic, Labour backbencher Ms Leadbeater said the bill was about giving dying people “choice, autonomy, and dignity” – saying the current law was “failing” them.
Kim Leadbeater: PA
Read More:
Two people reveal contrasting views on assisted dying
Five stories that bring the assisted dying debate home
She has insisted her bill contains “the most robust safeguards” of any assisted dying legislation in the word.
This includes two independent doctors having to approve the decision, followed by a high-court judge, with the person having to administer the drugs themselves.
The legislation also includes a maximum 14-year prison sentence for anyone who coerces someone into requesting assisted dying or taking the medicine.
Speaking to Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby after the vote, an emotional Ms Leadbeater said she was “incredibly proud” of the result and parliament must now “take on board everything that’s been discussed in the chamber”, including the state of palliative care and the rights of disabled people.
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