One of the BBC’s highest-earning presenters has stated he’s “deeply sorry” after a newspaper report alleged he had shared a sexually specific {photograph} with employees.

Quite a few claims had been made about Stephen Nolan in The Irish News on Tuesday, together with that he had despatched the picture of actuality TV star Stephen Bear in 2016.

It was reported that the presenter shared the picture when he had needed to ebook Bear as a visitor on his TV present.

Bear, a former Celebrity Big Brother winner, was jailed for 21 months earlier this 12 months after being convicted of revenge porn and voyeurism.

Addressing the allegations on his morning radio present on Radio Ulster on Friday, Nolan stated: “We have had days, as you in all probability know, of headlines about me and the Nolan staff within 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 gotten to be confidential for them to work.

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

“There was {a photograph}, it was extensively obtainable on the web and I used to be speaking to a long-term buddy and peer exterior of labor.

“I am deeply sorry.”

Nolan is the BBC’s fifth-highest paid talent and earns between £400,000-404,999.

Only Gary Lineker, Zoe Ball, Alan Shearer and Huw Edwards are paid extra.

He’s rejected a declare that his staff manipulate programmes by planting producers within the studio viewers.

The Irish News additionally alleges a former member of employees made a declare of bullying and harassment towards Nolan, which has not been upheld.

The publication additionally stated that messages between Nolan’s staff members included abusive remarks about politicians.

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In a press release earlier this week, BBC Northern Ireland’s director Adam Smyth stated: “There are important considerations of fairness and confidentiality involved in the handling of any workplace-related complaint.

“We take these obligations critically – and within the pursuits of everybody concerned.

“It is for these reasons that we cannot comment on the specifics of any individual case, who/what it may have involved or its outcome.”