BBC STAR 'SENT MENACING BBC MESSAGES' TO SECOND YOUNGSTER

BBC crisis spirals as star presenter faces claims he threatened a second youngster

- Mark Reynolds

THE BBC was reeling last night over claims that the presenter at the centre of a row over sexually explicit photos "sent abusive and menacing messages" to a second young person.

The new individual said they felt threatened by the star after being contacted anonymously by the male presenter on a dating app.

The unnamed person, who is in their early 20s, said they were put under pressure to meet but never did.

And when the person hinted online they might name the presenter they were allegedly sent abusive, expletive-filled messages. The BBC last night confirmed it had seen the messages and that they had come from a phone number belonging to the presenter.

It said the second young person felt "threatened" by the messages and "remained scared".

It comes as some MPs have threatened to name the star involved in the House of Commons.

And Jeremy Vine last night became the first major BBC star to call on the presenter to make their identity public.

He said: "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 is on its knees with this." Fresh allegations emerged last night, including that the star broke the law by defying the national lockdown to meet a 23-year-old from a dating site.

A source showed messages to a newspaper that suggested that the star visited the person's home, sent cash and asked for a picture.