STORY
The BBC is facing further questions over its vetting of presenters after the Guardian reported that Ashley Cain had previously used abusive and misogynistic language about women on social media. Cain presents the BBC Three documentary series Ashley Cain: Into the Danger Zone, which was commissioned for a second series after the corporation praised his ability to connect with young male audiences.
The Guardian said Cain had used offensive terms about women in posts on X, formerly Twitter, before he began working with the BBC. The newspaper also reported that he had sent abusive messages to female users and made remarks about violence and degrading sexual behaviour. Cain did not respond to the Guardian’s requests for comment, while the BBC said it expected high standards from everyone working with or for the corporation and would consider the information carefully.
The report comes after a series of controversies involving BBC presenters and follows an external review of BBC workplace culture, which found that unacceptable behaviour by a minority of people within the corporation was not always addressed. The Guardian said the revelations could create an early test for the BBC’s new director general Matt Brittin, who joined the corporation last month.