BBC's response over explicit pictures scandal 'upsets' teen's family

The family of the teenager who was paid £35,000 by a BBC presenter for the child's explicit images is reportedly "upset" over the broadcaster's response to the allegations.

The wording of BBC's statement on the accused TV star's suspension was what had dismayed the teen's family, The Sun reported.

The mother said they had raised the matter in May but were "frustrated" to see that the presenter was on air even after a month.

Responding to the scandal, the British TV channel said it had come to their knowledge in May but a "different nature" of allegations surfaced last week.

“We can also confirm a male member of staff has been suspended," BBC had said.

It said "it takes any allegations seriously" with robust internal processes proactively dealing with the matter.

However, the family complains that they haven't been approached by the corporation for "a proper interview after the initial complaint".

Allegations against an unnamed presenter first surfaced last Thursday after the claims that an unidentified top-rated TV star paid a hefty amount for sexually explicit pictures of the teenager three years ago, when they were 17 years old.

The mother of the alleged recipient blames the presenter for her child's addiction to crack cocaine.

While the BBC's website states that staff accused of a serious breach of discipline can be "immediately suspended", it is believed that the presenter is still being paid his full six-figure salary.

After the explosive allegations surfaced Friday, multiple TV presenters, including Gary Lineker, Rylan Clark, and Jeremy Vine, have denied being the unnamed presenter accused of paying a teenager for explicit images.

The alleged victim's mother claimed that the presenter destroyed her child's life.

Reportedly, the family approached the TV network to request that the presenter stop sending money. The teenager, who remains anonymous, went from being a happy-go-lucky teen to a drug addict.

The network has assured that it treats all allegations seriously and has processes to investigate and address them.

The spokesperson for the TV network said: "We treat any allegations very seriously, and we have processes in place to proactively deal with them.

"If we receive information that requires further investigation or examination, we will take steps to do this. That includes actively attempting to speak to those who have contacted us in order to seek further detail and understanding of the situation.

"If, at any point, new information comes to light or is provided – including via newspapers – this will be acted upon appropriately, in line with internal processes."