A new book is claiming that two senior staffers with BBC's hallmark Sci-Fi series Doctor Who used their positions to sexually exploit young men, amny of whom were under the legal age of consent at the time. The allegations appear in a new biography of the series' longest-serving (1980-1989) producer, John Nathan-Turner. The book's author described his own experience of being propositioned while visiting the studio at age 17:
The book's author, Richard Marson, describes Nathan-Turner as a gay man taking advantage of the situation he was in, rather than a predator. That label he reserves for Nathan-Turners' partner, Gary Downie, who served as Production Manager, and who Marson says assaulted him in an elevator on a later visit to the BBC studios.‘It happened after the first time I was invited to up to go and see a recording of the show, and he [Nathan-Turner] got a bit frisky, shall we say.
‘I was a bit taken aback; I was only 17 and . . . he said to me, “You’re so f****** provincial”. And of course I was f******* provincial, I came from Bishop's Stortford, I didn't know about anything.
'I just thought I was in this kind of wonderland that was Television Centre, thinking it was an amazing place, and so I wasn't really prepared for anything really sophisticated.'
In the wake of earlier allegations, the BBC has established a review commission to look into allegations, and whether the BBC's culture of aloofness contributed to the problem. As for these particular allegations, a BBC spokesman said they would be referred to the Dame Janet Smith Review.
Source - Two senior Doctor Who staff 'used their jobs to sexually exploit young male fans of BBC show in 1980s', Mail Online
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