Gary Lineker, Rylan Clark and Jeremy Vine deny they’re the BBC presenter accused of paying teenager for sexual pictures
GARY Lineker, Rylan Clark and Jeremy Vine have denied they're the BBC star who allegedly paid a teenager for sexual pictures.
The Sun today revealed a well-known presenter - who has been taken off air - is accused of giving the teen more than £35,000 since they were 17 in return for sordid images.
Lineker - who fronts the BBC's Match of the Day - tonight hit out at the social media allegations.
He wrote: "Hate to disappoint the haters but it’s not me."
It came after Rylan, 34, who co-hosts the Beeb’s Eurovision coverage and is filming a travelogue for the Corporation, responded on Twitter.
The former X Factor contestant shared a meme of Oscar-slap actor Will Smith and wrote: "Not sure why my name’s floating about but re that story in The Sun – that ain’t me babe.
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"I’m currently filming a show in Italy for the BBC, so take my name out ya mouths."
Vine, 58, who hosts a news programme on Radio 2, tweeted: "Just to say I’m very much looking forward to hosting my radio show on Monday.
"Whoever the 'BBC presenter' in the news is, I have the same message for you as Rylan did earlier: it certainly ain’t me."
The unnamed top BBC star is off air while allegations he paid the teenager for sexual pictures are investigated.
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The alleged recipient’s mother said they had used the cash to fund a crack habit.
She added of the star: “When I see him on telly, I feel sick.
“I blame this BBC man for destroying my child’s life.
"Taking my child’s innocence and handing over the money for crack cocaine that could kill my child.”
Last night the presenter, a familiar face who is known to millions, was off air while the BBC investigate the mother’s bombshell claims.
The family complained to the BBC about his behaviour on May 19 and begged them to make the man “stop sending the cash”.
They had discovered that their child has been using the money to fund their spiralling addiction to crack cocaine.
The furious mother told last night how her child had gone from “a happy-go-lucky youngster to a ghost-like crack addict” in just three years.
They approached The Sun, making it clear they wanted no payment.
The mother said: “All I want is for this man to stop paying my child for sexual pictures and stop him funding my child’s drug habit.”
She told how her child, now 20, had shown her an online bank statement that had numerous deposits from the star.
Holding back tears, she added: “There were huge sums, hundreds, or thousands of pounds at a time.
“One time he had sent £5,000 in one lump. The money had been in exchange for sexually explicit photographs of my child.”
Sleazy messages are alleged to have started in 2020, when the youngster was 17.
The family say the BBC presenter never hid his identity and even sent pictures of himself at work.
She said she was told the star requested “performances” and, heartbreakingly, her child said they would “get their bits out”.
A spokesman for the BBC said: “We treat any allegations very seriously and we have processes in place to proactively deal with them.
"As part of that, if we receive information that requires further investigation or examination, we will take steps to do this.
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“That includes actively attempting to speak to those who have contacted us in order to seek further detail and understanding of the situation.”
He added: “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.”