The BBC has brought in new anti-grooming guidelines warning its stars not to abuse their ‘celebrity status’ after the cooperation was hit by a series of high-profile scandals.
Staff have been handed a dossier full of guidelines about how to report ‘potential grooming’ and ‘rumours or evidence of a potential relationship involving an imbalance of power’.
It comes in the wake of the Huw Edwards which saw the star News at Ten anchor resign on medical grounds a year after he was accused of paying £35,000 in exchange for explicit pictures of a young person.
In recent weeks the BBC was plunged into further crisis after high-profile celebs on Strictly Come Dancing, including Amanda Abbington and Laura Whitmore, made complaints about their professional dance partners.
The new advice tells staff that ‘being associated with or working for the BBC may give you a public platform, followers on social media, a fanbase, or influence in public life’.
Huw Edwards resigned from the BBC on medical grounds a year after he was accused of paying £35,000 in exchange for explicit pictures of a young person
In recent weeks the BBC was plunged into further crisis after high-profile celebs on Strictly Come Dancing, including Amanda Abbington and Laura Whitmore , made complaints about their professional dance partners. Pictured: Abbington and Giovanni Pernice
The BBC has brought in new anti-grooming guidelines warning its stars not to abuse their ‘celebrity status’. Pictured: Broadcasting House
Yet it adds that workers should not ‘misuse or abuse the power, influence or status you have attained as a result of your association with the BBC’.
According to The Sunday Times, the corporation updated its policy on managing personal relationships while at work.
Famous faces of the BBC were instructed not to win ‘personal favours’, ‘gain the trust of others and misuse power to instigate personal relationships’ or ‘harass,’ ‘sexually harass’, ‘bully,’ ‘discriminate’ or ‘intimidate’ others.
It states bluntly that workers should not ‘groom others (inside and outside the BBC) with the intention of personal favours, relationships or harm to others’.
Staff are also told to be the lookout for grooming warning signs, such as unexplained gifts or using the ‘BBC profile for personal gain’.
The update guidelines come after director-general Tim Davie was criticised for his handling over various complaints in relation to high-profile presenters.
With regards to the Edwards situation, the BBC received backlash that allegations were not ‘escalated quickly enough’ after it was revealed senior managers were only made aware of the allegations last July.
After the claims made by the young person’s family were first brought to light by The Sun, Edwards was suspended, while a police probe was launched.
In November last year, complaints were taken to the BBC after Russell Brand, who previously worked at the company, was accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse – which he has denied
The cooperation was also forced to launch a two-year investigation into alleged sexual misconduct involving Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood (pictured) which he has denied
But the Metropolitan Police later closed the investigation announcing they would be ‘taking no further action’.
The formal complaint to the BBC had been made by the young person’s family but the individual at the centre of the controversy said via a lawyer, according to the BBC, that nothing inappropriate or unlawful happened with the unnamed presenter.
The cooperation was also forced to launch a two-year investigation into alleged sexual misconduct involving Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood, in a probe that has already cost the BBC £3million.
And in November last year, complaints were taken to the BBC after Russell Brand, who previously worked at the company, was accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse.
Both Westwood and Brand have strenuously denied the allegations made against them.
‘It’s all false allegations. It’s all false allegations. I’ve never done that, period. They’re all false allegations. I will prove that as soon as I get my opportunity and trust me, I am ready,’ Westwood said in a video on social media.
The update guidelines come after director-general Tim Davie (pictured) was criticised for his handling over various complaints in relation to high-profile presenters
Brand said in a video when the allegations first came to light: ‘These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream, when I was in the newspapers all the time, when I was in the movies. And as I’ve written about extensively in my books, I was very, very promiscuous.
‘During that time of promiscuity the relationships I had were absolutely always consensual. I was always transparent about that then and I am being transparent about it now as well.
‘And to see that transparency metastasized into something criminal that I absolutely deny makes me question is there another agenda at play.’
BBC Spokesperson: ‘The BBC is a modern and inclusive organisation and we work hard to create a culture where everyone can thrive professionally and produce their best work.
‘We take all forms of bullying, harassment and misconduct incredibly seriously, and we’ve made great strides in recent years to update and improve our policies.’
