A BBC host partied with bosses at an awards do after sex allegations were made against him.
The bash came weeks after a mum claimed the man had paid her teenager for explicit picture.
Meanwhile the ex-cop who revealed Jimmy Savile was a pervert has said the star in the sex pictures scandal should be named.
The call came as Mirror UK exclusively revealed the presenter was allowed to attend a swanky do after allegations against him had been made.
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He has been accused of paying £35,000 (€40,945) to a young person in return for sexual images. The teenager's mum says her child blew the money on drugs and had gone from a “happy-go-lucky youngster to a ghost-like crack addict”.
It was reported yesterday that the mum made an official complaint about the man to BBC chiefs on May 19. But weeks later he rubbed shoulders with fellow celebrities at an elite venue, enjoying a three-course meal and wine.
The star attended the event with senior BBC executives and was seen alongside them as they enjoyed the champagne reception before taking their seats for the ceremony.
One guest told Mirror UK: “If this man was aware of what was hanging over him, he certainly didn’t show it.”
A social media frenzy erupted over the identity of the presenter – and the likes of Gary Lineker, Rylan Clark and Jeremy Vine even went public on Saturday to say it was not them.
Former detective Mark Williams Thomas, who revealed DJ Savile was a sex offender, said UK licence fee payers had a right to know the name of the star – who has now been taken off air.
The ex-Surrey Police officer told Mirror UK: “The BBC has already had a month to look into this – they should have concluded their investigation by now and named the individual in question.
“It’s all about openness and transparency, but the BBC has got a track record of carrying out fatally flawed investigations. They need to get this investigated. It’s obligatory now that they go through proper due process to get this sorted as soon as possible.”
Of the awards do, Mr Williams Thomas added: “This man should have been suspended pending an investigation. If this had happened he would never have been able to attend the ceremony. It’s the same failed process as Savile, yet again.”
A source said: “It is astonishing someone accused of such serious allegations was able to attend an event like this. The BBC had been made aware in the strongest possible terms of what this person is supposed to have done – and still they were able to go along, with colleagues in tow. It is very odd, to say the least.”
The mother told The Sun her child was 17 when sleazy messages were allegedly first sent, in 2020. She said of the presenter: “Whenever 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 money for crack cocaine that could kill my child. There were huge sums. One time he sent £5,000 (€5,849) in one lump. The money had been in exchange for sexually explicit photographs of my child.”
The claims have embroiled the BBC in another sex scandal – though there is no suggestion it is on the scale or nature of the Savile affair. The Corporation has confirmed it has begun an investigation.
The allegations sparked a frenzy of speculation on social media. And it prompted several leading names to rule themselves out.
Match of the Day host Gary Lineker said on Twitter: “Hate to disappoint the haters but it’s not me.”
Rylan Clark told 1.7 million Twitter fans: “Not sure why my name is floating about but re that story – that ain’t me, babe.”
His fellow Radio 2 host Jeremy Vine said: “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.”
Broadcaster Piers Morgan called the new BBC claims “a massive scandal that will rock Britain”.
BBC culture editor Katie Razzall said the allegations, if proven, would likely end the presenter’s career.
The family’s claims were a major story across the BBC network – on radio, TV and its news website.
Mr Williams-Thomas was the lead investigator on ITV documentary The Other Side of Jimmy Savile, which revealed how the sick star preyed on vulnerable girls. The award-winning show was broadcast in 2012, a year after the fiend’s death at the age of 84.
It sparked the Met’s Operation Yewtree investigation into historic sex abuse. Some 19 people were busted in the probe, including a string of TV names. A further review in 2012 found the BBC missed five major opportunities to stop Savile.
The BBC has pledged to investigate the new allegations, including if the alleged behaviour happened in the workplace.
A spokesman 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 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 new information comes to light or is provided – including via newspapers – this will be acted upon.”
