Dirty chat: BBC presenter was in 'touch' with teen on Instagram, sent love emojis

The disgraced BBC presenter — who was dismissed from the British media company for his alleged involvement in a 'sex pics scandal' — approached the teenager on the social media platform Instagram when the young person was 17 years old, according to a report published by The Sun.

The report stated that the individual was contacted by the BBC presenter out of the blue, adding that "looking back now it does seem creepy because he was messaging me when I was still at school."

While speaking in an interview with The Sun, the individual said: "In light of everything now, I feel shocked because as a broadcaster it is a name everyone would trust."

"I had no reason to think it was anything beyond that at that time."

According to the report, The Sun is handing its full "dossier to BBC investigators", which includes signed sworn statements from the individual.

The teenager received a message from the BBC presenter in October 2018.

He messaged them with a love heart emoji without there being any prior contact between them ever.

The presenter was followed by the teen teenager months earlier the contact and said: "They were stunned to receive a message from such a high-profile BBC employee."

They added: "I was surprised he had messaged me out of the blue but was excited as I knew who he was. He sent a love heart emoji to me and I was taken aback."

"Looking back now at my reply I can tell I did not think anything of it because of my age. I was just thinking of it innocently because I had a keen interest in their line of work," the individual told The Sun.

"I replied to the love-heart emoji he sent and asked how it was going at the BBC. He replied saying it was good and he used a kiss [x] at the end of his message," they noted.

"I did think it was a little strange that he used a kiss at the end but, ultimately, I was not reading into these messages in that way and so did not think more about it at the time."

The person who is now 22 and holds down a successful job, added: "After my reply, he then asked me if I was OK. After he sent it he sent me another love heart emoji."

"I asked why he was asking after me and he said he was just being polite and put another kiss at the end," the screenshots also show.

Their interaction continued with several pauses with the young person messaging the BBC presenter sporadically.

They said: "Knowing what I know now, I feel I was a bit naïve. I was a young person who loved what this presenter did and naturally, I was excited he had messaged me."

At one stage, the youngster asked for advice about taking part in a BBC scheme for 11 to 16-year-olds.

Days after the scandal emerged, they said: "I was a year older than the age range for the project but it was still something I was invited to be a part of."

"I told him I was in my final year at school and told him I had the opportunity to take part in a BBC school scheme where you get to make a news programme and he told me to go for it," they added.

They said: “When he replied to me he had stopped using heart emojis and kisses at the end of his messages. In light of what I know now, it feels as though when he realised I was not flirtatious back, he changed in the way he would reply.”

"Seeing what has happened to this person, I just hope that if there are other people out there who have had an experience like this individual that they have the support to speak out too," they said referring to another person who was also allegedly contacted by the presenter through a dating app.

"I feel saddened that individuals of a similar age to myself have experienced something like this and I just hope they know they can be heard."