LONDON, United Kingdom — An internal BBC investigation following allegations that a star news anchor paid a young person for sex pictures could take months, the corporation's director general Tim Davie said Tuesday.
Answering questions from a parliamentary committee, Davie said it has been a "difficult affair" and the British broadcaster has "tried to calmly and reasonably navigate some difficult concerns."
Veteran news presenter Huw Edwards was last week dramatically revealed to be the man at the center of the controversy that spurred days of front-page headlines and speculation about his identity.
The claims first emerged in an article published this month by The Sun newspaper in which the alleged victim's family said the presenter had paid tens of thousands of pounds for the pictures.
Police later said they found no evidence a criminal offence had been committed and the BBC resumed an internal investigation.
Davie did not provide an exact timeframe for the inquiry, saying it "could take weeks or it could take a couple of months or even longer."
Related: Elton John testifies for defense at Spacey sex assault trial
"My main priority is to be fair, make sure we get all the information into the process and act judiciously," he added.
Davie confirmed Tuesday that the BBC has been "in touch with the complainant" since the allegations were first published.
He also said a "review of protocols and procedures" was underway and a report is expected in the autumn.
Since the initial story was published, the young person has through a lawyer dismissed the allegations as "rubbish."
The BBC has reported that other people have since come forward with claims of inappropriate behavior from the presenter.
Edwards — anchor of the News at Ten since 2003 — is "suffering from serious mental health issues" and has been admitted to hospital, according to his wife.