Top BBC presenter says sorry after report he shared sexually explicit image with staff

He said he was 'deeply sorry'

The Irish News reported on Tuesday that Stephen Nolan had sent an X-rated image of reality TV star Stephen Bear in 2016.

The newspaper said the presenter, one of the BBC's highest earners, shared the picture when he had wanted to book Bear as a guest on his TV show.

Bear, a former Celebrity Big Brother winner, was jailed for 21 months earlier this year after being convicted of revenge porn and voyeurism.

Addressing the allegations on his morning radio show on Radio Ulster on Friday, Nolan said: "We have had days, as you probably know, of headlines about me and the Nolan team in the papers this week.

"I am not ignoring the story. It is just that the BBC has processes in place to deal with staff complaints and I do need to totally respect those processes.

"They have got to be confidential for them to work.

"I can say one thing though and it is that I am sorry."

Nolan admitted there was a photograph and that it was "widely available on the internet and I was talking to a long-term friend and peer outside of work."

He added: "I am deeply sorry."

This is a breaking news story. More to follow.