BBC Presenter and yet more allegations

[friendlycat]

It would appear that the front page of tomorrow’s The Sun has further allegations about messages with a new 17 year old. Creepy hearts etc

Scrolling through Sky news and seeing front pages of the papers. This appears bottom right on The Sun front page.

Absolutely agree with this.

Take it to the other numerous threads on MN or start your own thread.

I would be happy to contribute to that.

Deflection of the issue of the topic on this thread means I suspect your well intentioned post.

If you care about public standards, corruption, disparity in society, abuse of positions, safeguarding young people - then it's possible to care about the government, Murdoch, the BBC, ITV, GO and the presenter scandal.

If you're trying to distract from one and think one wealthy man is exempt from public scrutiny, corruption, disparity in society, abuse of power and safeguarding - then you don't really care about the other news stories either.

It may be time for you to get a new playbook. Everyone recognises this one.

👏👏👏👏

@RedToothBrush are you okay with large age gaps if not in the public eye? I think really large age gaps, especially when the youngest is late teens/early twenties is not good, whether an 'important' person is in the mix or not. But many posters on MN defend them, plenty of I met my DH when I was 18 and he was 50 and we are still together posts.

Wasn't it also them who did a countdown to Emma Watson becoming "legal" i.e. turning 16 - so that's fine, but a 17 year old is scandalous?

I wish MN had a like button! 👏🏻👏🏻

This, 100% this. When will people realise that Murdoch has an agenda to destroy the BBC ?

I think the idea of poor presenter is just rediculous. Even if no crime has been committed- to cheat on your family with 20 ish year olds you meet on social media it's absolute arrogance to expect that you won't be outed - and clearly the same expectations of the bbc covering up his seedy exploits is what he is arrogant enough to expect from the public he engages with even 20 year olds sending him sexual images and meeting up

He cannot possibly do his job the same after this - he will not be as respected or taken seriously as a journalist. Whatever people think if it's fair or not, it's simple - he's tainted his credibility as a journalist to report on certain matters

Unless there's a criminal case there is no court but that of public opinion and the position he had - it's utter arrogance to think he wouldn't face the music for his actions

The BBC is destroying itself by being a scummy haven for sexual predators and nonces. And that has been true since way before Murdoch even had a foot in the door at Fleet Street.

Man thinks with penis as opposed to brain, that’ll be a first won’t it ?

Is this person really so dumb and unintelligent to go around contacting young people online for sexual kicks

Apparently so.

Posting this under a name change.

People did report Jimmy Savile (and others), but were ridiculed and threatened for doing so.

I’ve said this before on MN, but in the early 90s, before internet, before celebrity gossip was a popular hobby, a friend’s mother told both of us of her experience working for a well known celebrity.
Having seen the antics of this man and his “friends”, including Jimmy Savile and politicians now known to have been paedophiles, along with others, she immediately left and went to
the nearest police station to report it, and was laughed out of the place. She complained in other places, wherever she could think of, but was ridiculed and often threatened for suggesting that all these celebrities were doing what she said they did.
She then couldn’t find work. At all. Apparently connections run deep enough to black ball you from normal employment.

Floodgates only open once it’s safe to allow them to open. Once the perpetrator is dead and can’t let out any secrets.

It depends. As a rule I don't think that it's possible to have a healthy relationship with an age gap larger than ten years if the younger person is still under 30.

If you add the layer of the older party being in a position of responsibility it's definitely not ok.

It comes back to power imbalances.

People saying they met someone and they are still together years later, aren't necessarily a good example either. It doesn't mean that relationship is healthy even if they are still together.

I think the issue is with the younger party almost idolising the older one and that giving the older one a level of control over the younger one.

It's incredibly difficult to counter that. And I don't think you see it whilst you are in that relationship either if you are the younger party because you lack the life experience to understand why it matters.

A man older than 50 trying to start a relationship with someone in their 20s knows these dynamics. Someone working for the BBC definitely does. Especially someone in the role this guy has. They are aware of previous cases of abuses of power because they are educated in these matters.

There is no reason why this man should have been contacting anyone this age apart from if they are colleagues or friends of their children. They don't have the same social circles. It's just stupid and putting himself at risk of accusations even if nothing untoward has happened. We have evidence he HAS had contact with someone who he'd be extremely ill advised to contact. This can't be dodged in any explanation.

Approaches initiated by someone younger should be seen through the lens of fandom and treated through that lens. To protect both the young person and the celebrity.

That's why I lack sympathy for BBC guy. Especially after speaking to friends who work at the Beeb.

Ultimately he has to take responsibility for the ill advised contact (like Schofield) even if found innocent of everything else. And he can not continue in his job simply for that reason. Because safeguarding employment policies to protect young people and the reputation of the organisation need to exist - precisely because of previous scandals (of the most extreme severity) . Anyone who works for the BBC KNOWS the history on this. There are simply no excuses. It's just being a dickhead.

I think this is what is confounding people most.

Not stupid or unintelligent though. The risk IS the thrill. And there is the reality of Egos becoming so big, someone thinks they've become untouchable in some way.

Do you really think the BBC is 'full of them'? This is just an anti-establishment sentiment that I get but is totally unfair to the huge majority in 2023.

What I'm hearing is there is genuine shock. Not the same reaction that happened with either Schofield or Saville with an 'everyone knew' feeling. Totally the opposite. And I think this will become apparent over time.

Friends are gutted at the reputational stigma which is beyond their control. The betrayal feeling extends to them.

You don’t know anything. You already judged this person already his is guilty. Imagine if this was your husband or brother or Dad wouldn’t you want the truth to be heard first. The Sun said that about Johnny Depp & look how that turned out. They were never held accountable for their accusations. If he is guilty of anything then let the police investigate.

I think really large age gaps, especially when the youngest is late teens/early twenties is not good, whether an 'important' person is in the mix or not. But many posters on MN defend them, plenty of I met my DH when I was 18 and he was 50 and we are still together posts.

This is the point - some people think ugh about large age gaps, some people don't. But there is nothing inherently wrong with it, unless people are suggesting anything over 10 years or whatever should be banned in law. Similarly there is no law against young people sleeping with anyone over the age of consent, whether 16, 46 or 96. PPs might not like it and there is often bosom hoiking about it on here, but people are free to hook up with whoever they want.

Oh, yes, they were.

And the accusations were upheld in court.

Something like 20,000 people work for the BBC, that's like a mid-sized town. While it sounds like in the past excuses were made for high profile offenders even when everyone knew (which is obviously disgusting) don't you think it's just quite likely that with so many people working there, some of them statistically will be sexual predators? It's not like they come with a sign on them, and really if you wanted to be in a job where you have access to a lot of young or vulnerable people there are a lot more obvious ones - teachers, sports coach, social worker etc.

This. How quickly the Carl Beech witch-hunt has been forgotten.

There actually is another thread, specifically about the George Osborne allegations and most of the media's apparent lack of interest in them.

Apart from people turning up to minimise the allegations, it's had very little interest. All of 29 replies since starting around 7 am this morning, in which time this thread about the TV presenter has filled 16 more pages.

Link for placemats and other posters who want to discuss the press reaction to the Osborne allegations.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4847268-osborne-email-why-no-bigger-outcry?page=1

Not saying anything about the current situation as I know nothing, but "a man who considered himself far too powerful and untouchable to be held accountable for his sordid actions" could apply to SO many people from small town football coaches to manager of a local firm of accountants right up to high profile music or media people, the royal family etc. If it's their own view of themselves you're objecting too, I'd suggest that nearly all sex offenders think they're too clever and important to get into trouble for what they've done - that's why they keep doing it despite the obvious penalties out there.

Of course, but do their organisations have the same history of covering it up that the BBC (and other media outlets) do?

If yes then there’s a systemic problem that needs to be dealt with.
In the meantime I’m happy with my belief that predators should not have their actions swept under the carpet.

The fact that there are posters like you is so heartwarming. What you said times a million.