The BBC said: ‘He has asked to step back from presenting his radio show for a short period and we will be considering the matters raised by the programme.’
BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Tony Livesey is taking a “step back” from his late-night show after the broadcast of a Panorama investigation, the BBC have announced.
The BBC said today: “The Panorama investigation included allegations about Tony Livesey which we take seriously. We also note Tony has firmly denied the allegations.
“He has asked to step back from presenting his radio show for a short period and we will be considering the matters raised by the programme. We will not be commenting further at this stage.”
The decision comes after the broadcast of the Panorama episode looking into David Sullivan and his behaviour towards women whilst he was owner of the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport.
Tony Livesey was editor-in-chief of the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport newspapers before going on to work at the BBC and have his own Radio Five Live show. It meant he worked alongside Sullivan for a number of years.
The programme was titled Predator: The Billionaire Football Boss. It spoke to seven women who say Sullivan was sexually exploitative towards them, which he “categorically denies”. He said he was quitting as West Ham director to fight what he said were false allegations about his conduct.
On Panorama one women identified as ‘Florence’ said Livesey had introduced her to Sullivan, who then arranged for her to visit his home.
Livesey said he had “no recollection” of putting a woman on the phone to speak to Sullivan as Florence described and insisted to Panorama that it had not been part of his role to introduce anyone to him.
He went on to tell the programme he had “great sympathy for a woman who may have become a victim”, but he also rejected any suggestion that he had played “any role whatsoever in that scenario”. He also said he found the allegation “abhorrent”.
Livesey was absent from his BBC Radio 5 Live show last night with Qasa Alom taking charge of the 10pm slot instead.
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