Copyright dailymail
Loose Women star Kaye Adams spoke last night of her ‘distress’ over the BBC probe into bullying complaints against her. She claimed she had been ‘dragged through the mud’ over allegations - revealed in the Mail on Sunday - that she ‘shouted and screamed’ at junior members of staff. Speaking for the first time since she was removed from her £155,000-a-year radio show, the 62-year-old star said she had experienced ‘three of the most distressing weeks of my professional life’ after being taken off air by BBC Scotland bosses earlier this month. It comes as the Mail on Sunday can today reveal that BBC chiefs are quizzing staff about the presenter’s conduct ‘over a number of years’ as part of their ongoing probe. Last night Ms Adams said: ‘After three of the most distressing weeks of my professional life and seeing my previously untarnished name publicly dragged through the mud, BBC Scotland has still not provided me with any details of the allegations which have been made against me.’ The Strictly Come Dancing star, who was pictured in Glasgow earlier this week, said she had been ‘inundated with messages of support from people who I have dealt with both personally and professionally over the decades and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.’ Staff who currently work with Ms Adams at BBC Radio Scotland and those who have worked with her during her 15 years at the station in Glasgow are being questioned by officials at the state broadcaster. We can also reveal that the bullying investigation was launched by the BBC following concerns raised about an alleged ‘shouting incident’ during a debriefing session at the station attended by Ms Adams, BBC’s new Head of Radio Victoria Easton Riley and other members of staff. Ms Adams denied any incident happened, but said: ‘I remember Ms Easton Riley standing at the back of a debrief meeting - in an open plan office - on one occasion, but there was certainly no shouting on my part. It’s not my style.’ The Mail on Sunday understands investigators are still gathering information about the star’s alleged conduct at the broadcaster, dating back a number of years, before the details are presented to her. A senior BBC Scotland figure said: ‘Interviews have been taking place with those working on the show and those who have previously worked with her. ‘It’s not just about one incident; they are looking back over the years. A number of people have spoken about experiences they’ve had with Kaye but the investigation is still ongoing.’ A second BBC Scotland source said: ‘The atmosphere is strained at PQ [Pacific Quay – BBC Scotland’s headquarters]. ‘The team working on the morning programme are keeping quiet about everything, just keeping their heads down and getting on with the job. ‘There’s a lot of confusion about what the BBC are actually doing and why Kaye hasn’t been told about what is being investigated.’ The mum-of-two last hosted her three-hour BBC Radio Scotland phone in show ‘Mornings with Kaye Adams’ on October 6 before being told she was being taken off air. It was claimed she had later had a frosty meeting with Ms Easton Riley, but the star has disputed this account and said it ‘categorically did not happen’. She said: ‘I can confirm that I have never had an in-person meeting with Victoria Easton Riley and the widely reported meeting of October 8, from which I am supposed to have ‘stormed out,’ categorically did not happen.’ The investigation into Ms Adams, who works for the BBC as a freelance presenter and host, was launched as part of the broadcaster’s new Call It Out scheme, an initiative set up in the aftermath of the scandal over former MasterChef presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode. Wallace was sacked after 45 allegations of misconduct against him spanning 19 years were upheld. They included one incident of unwelcome physical contact, three complaints of being in a state of undress and others involving inappropriate sexual, culturally insensitive or racist comments. Torode was also sacked after it he was found to have used an extremely offensive racist term. The BBC has been trying to clean up its act following a number of bullying allegations. One inquiry involving Breakfast host Naga Munchetty is still ongoing, while Strictly Come Dancing has been rocked by scandals. Ms Adams was on the show in 2022, paired with professional dancer Kai Widdrington, and was the first celebrity voted out. A BBC Radio Scotland source said: ‘The Call It Out campaign is everywhere now and that’s what has prompted people to come forward about Kaye.’ Despite being taken off her radio show, Ms Adams has retained her role on Loose Women with ITV confirming they are standing by the presenter. The mum-of-two has hosted the programme for 19 years and was described by colleagues there as one of the ‘calmer members’ of the cast. A BBC Scotland spokeswoman said: ‘We would not comment on individuals.’
