The BBC ‘Sex Pics Scandal’ host launched an Instagram chat with a 17-year-old teenage follower and used love hearts and kisses

THE BBC presenter, who was suspended over sex photo claims, started a chat with a teenage follower via his Instagram account – using love hearts and kisses in his messages.

The person said she was contacted by the moderator out of the blue when she was just 17.

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In an exclusive interview, they said: “In retrospect it actually seems scary because he texted me when I was at school.

“Considering what is happening now I am shocked because as a broadcaster it is a name that anyone would trust.

“I had no reason at the time to believe it was anything beyond that.”

The Sun hands over its full dossier to BBC investigators.

This includes signed affidavits from the person.

The first message the household name sent to the teenager came in October 2018.

He sent them a message with a love heart emoji without their ever having been in touch before.

The teenager had followed the presenter on Instagram months before the contact, saying they were stunned to receive a message from such a high-profile BBC worker.

It comes as…

• The TV personality is also said to have broken lockdown laws to meet a young stranger from a dating site
• The BBC reported that another youngster claimed the presenter sent them “threatening and abusive” messages
• Jeremy Vine has urged the well-known BBC star to describe himself as the presenter at the center of the scandal

From home, they added, “I was surprised he texted me out of the blue but was excited as I knew who he was.”

“He sent me a love heart emoji and I was amazed.

“Looking back at my answer now, I can say I didn’t think anything of it given my age.

“I was just innocently thinking about it because I had a keen interest in her work.

“I replied to the love heart emoji he sent and asked how the BBC was doing.

“He replied it was good, and he used a kiss [x] at the end of his message.

“While I found it a bit odd that he used a kiss at the end, I ultimately didn’t understand those messages in that way, so I didn’t think further about it at the time.”

After the teenager’s reply, the moderator came back with another message and continued the conversation.

The now 22-year-old boy, who has a successful job, added: “After my answer he asked me if I was okay.

“After he sent it, he sent me another love heart emoji.

“I asked why he was asking about me and he said he was just being polite and gave a kiss at the end.”

The conversation continued intermittently, with the youngster sporadically texting the TV veteran after their initial contact.

Bombshell allegations

They said: “After knowing what I know now, I felt a bit naïve.

“I was a young person who loved what this presenter was doing and of course I was thrilled that he messaged me.”

At one point, the youngster asked for advice on taking part in a BBC program for 11-16 year olds.

Days after the publication of The Sun’s shocking initial report, they said: “I was a year older than the age group for the project, but it was still something I was invited to participate in.”

“I told him I was in my final year at school and I told him I had the opportunity to do a BBC school program where you get to do a news program and he told me to go.

“By the time he replied to me, by the end of his messages he had stopped using heart emojis and kisses.

“From what I know now, it seems to me that he changed his response once he realized I wasn’t being flirtatious.”

It was revealed yesterday that the star had contacted another young person – with new allegations over “offensive” messages after she began speaking out on a dating app.

When The Sun learned of the new claims, the person admitted he wasn’t surprised he wasn’t the only person who was contacted.

They said: “I’m a well-rounded person with a good support network.

“I used to joke about it with my friends and take it as an isolated incident.

“In seeing what happened to this person, I just hope that if there are other people out there who have had an experience like this person, they also have the support to speak up.

“I’m saddened that people of a similar age to me have experienced this and I just hope they know they can be listened to.”

The moderator has been asked to comment.