Corporation’s director general reveals request as officers consider if there is reason for a criminal inquiry

BBC presenter: director general faces questions – live updates

The Metropolitan police have asked the BBC to pause its inquiries into a suspended male presenter, while specialist officers decide if there is any justification for a criminal investigation.

The BBC director general, Tim Davie, said the Met had taken control of the inquiry, although the police were still at the “scoping” stage of their inquiries and they may decide they was no criminal case to answer.

The BBC published its own timeline of events leading up to the presenter’s suspension, which claimed a member of the young person’s family initially tried to make a complaint via a physical BBC office in May – and later failed to return phone calls from BBC investigators.

Davie said the initial complaint was “very serious but not criminal”, unlike the claims put to the BBC by the Sun last week that the young person may have been 17 when contact began.

The director general confirmed the presenter was informed of the allegations against him only last week, when the Sun contacted the BBC.

The director general said the BBC had a “duty of care” to the suspended presenter, suggested they were providing him with support, and declined to comment on suggestions that blackmail may have been involved.

The young person at the heart of the story has said the Sun’s claims of illegal behaviour are “rubbish”.

The BBC published its annual list of its highest-earning stars.