16 July 2023 , 13:38
582
0
A man who accused Jeremy Vine of being the BBC presenter who reportedly paid a teenager for explicit photos has apologised for libelling him.
Jeremy, 58, was among a number of stars accused of purchasing the pictures in a dramatic week for the broadcaster and The Sun newspaper.
Social media users were warned on Twitter not to speculate over the identity of the presenter, but Jeremy found himself wrongly accused and thus libelled.
Taking to Twitter today, he posted: "On 8 July @AndyPlumb4 libelled me by alleging that I was the BBC presenter at the heart of a story in The Sun that day. He has now acknowledged that he was wrong, and has apologised. At my request, he has also agreed to pay £1,000 to @mndassor rather than paying damages."
Jeremy Vine was among a number of stars wrongly accused on social media (Channel 5)Mr Plumb wrote: "I posted a tweet stating that the then unknown BBC presenter involved in purchasing explicit photos from an unknown 17 year old was @jeremyvine. This was untrue and the post should not have been sent. I retract the statement made in this tweet and any reference therein in their entirety.
Teen 'kept as slave, starved and beaten' sues adoptive parents and authorities
"I would add that I sincerely and unreservedly apologise to Mr Vine for the untrue and defamatory statements made about him, which were entirely baseless."
Fans approved of the outcome between Jeremy and Mr Plumb, with one tweeting: "I am glad that he came to his senses to retract and apologise for all libellous statements made against you Jeremy.
"The £1000 he will be giving to the motor neurone disease charity, I'm sure will help the MND Association continue doing the great work that they do."
The BBC was flung into crisis last week as it emerged presenter Huw Edwards, 61 – who was not initially named – allegedly paid a teenager £35,000 for explicit photos.
Presenters including Jeremy, Rylan and Gary Lineker were all forced to deny they were the unnamed star before the Welsh newsreader was identified by his wife, Vicky Flind.
The mother-of-five revealed she made the statement "primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children" adding her husband was suffering from “serious mental health issues” and “is now receiving in-patient hospital care”.
She added Huw intends to respond to the stories once well enough.
Ms Flind's statement came as the Met Police confirmed it was taking no action. The BBC has now resumed its investigation into the Ten O’Clock News anchor, who remains suspended.
*If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or visit their site to find your local branch