BBC Director General Tim Davie defended his decision not to have spoken to the presenter who was suspended following accusations that the latter paid more than $44,000 to a teen for explicit photos.

Speaking for the first time since the organization revealed the timeline of the allegations, Davie told BBC Radio 4, “It is important at that point to validate that, to have our team talk to the individual [reporting the allegations] and understand their concerns.”

Also Read | BBC presenters salaries: Gary Lineker tops list 6th year in a row

Davie also confirmed that only two attempts were made to contact the person who reported the incident – one by phone and one by email. The case first came into light following allegations of sexual misconduct back in May. However, the case was abandoned back then and taken up again by the BBC in early July, following a bombshell report by The Sun.

The BBC senior management reportedly only discussed the allegations with the accused presenter last Thursday. When Davie was asked why the presenter has not been spoken to about the allegations sooner, he said: “If you’ve got an allegation coming into a corporate investigations team you need to balance the concerns of duty of care and privacy. You don’t take that complaint directly to the presenter unless it has been verified. It is right to validate that and to have the specialist team talk to the individual before taking it forward.”

Also Read | Is Jon Kay suspended? Social media users ask amid BBC presenter’s absence from breakfast show

Moreover, Davie himself has not spoken to the unidentified presenter yet and he does not think it’s “odd.” “I think it is critical they are spoken to a very senior manager,” Davie said, adding, as director general he felt he is “playing the right role” in overseeing the situation.

Davie refused to say whether the presenter has offered to resign yet. He was also asked if he knows “categorically” whether the presenter paid the legal fees for the alleged victim. “That’s not information I am party to,” he said. “I don’t even think that’s something for the BBC.”