Aled Jones taken off the air over sex harassment claims
But BBC Songs Of Praise host denies sexual harassment
SONGS Of Praise presenter Aled Jones will not appear on the BBC while the broadcaster investigates allegations of historic sexual harassment, it emerged yesterday.
The married father of two, who had a Christmas hit with Walking In The Air in 1985, said he was ‘deeply sorry’ for ‘occasionally acting like a juvenile’ but denied any ‘inappropriate contact’.
The claims, dating back more than a decade, allegedly relate to inappropriate messages sent by Jones to a colleague.
‘There is an allegation that inappropriate messages and contact with a female member of staff took place,’ a source told The Sun on Sunday.
‘He’s been told by the BBC about the complaint and after it came to light he has been taken off air.’
A spokesman for the 46-year-old said that while the matter does not relate to any broadcast work, he had voluntarily agreed not to appear on the BBC while it is investigated.
In a statement, the spokesman added: ‘Whilst he accepts that his behaviour over a decade ago was occasionally juvenile, as was that of others, he never intended to harass or distress and he strongly denies any inappropriate contact.
‘He is, however, deeply sorry for any upset caused and hopes this matter is resolved soon.’
It is believed to be one of 25 live cases of alleged sexual harassment recently highlighted by BBC deputy director-general Anne Bulford.
Former choirboy Jones has not appeared on the BBC since last month when he appeared on his BBC Radio Wales show.
The previous week he hosted Songs Of Praise from the Welsh town of Pontypridd but has not presented it since.
Jones presented his regular Sunday morning slot with Classic FM yesterday, but it was unclear whether it was live. He has previously admitted pre-recording around one show a month. The Welsh singer received an MBE in 2013 for his services to music and broadcasting.
By the age of 16, the star had sold more than six million albums.
Jones, who was born in Bangor, north-west Wales, lives in south-west London with his wife of 16 years, Claire Fossett, 41, and two children.
His 15-year-old daughter Emilia is an actress and has starred in Doctor Who, Utopia and Wolf Hall, while his son, Lucas, shares a duet with his father on his new album One Voice: Believe.
Jones met his wife while starring in the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
In 2012 Jones said: ‘It’s a bit odd people still think I’m squeaky clean.’ He acknowledged it ‘went with the territory’ when he was a schoolboy chorister but added: ‘I’m really just a normal bloke.’
The BBC declined to comment.
Meanwhile, Scots actor Maureen Beattie has claimed that sexual harassment ‘is in the very marrow of show business’. She has launched a probe into sexual impropriety within her profession in her role as vice president of actors’ union Equity.
Beattie, who has appeared in Casualty and The Bill, revealed she was a victim of sexual harrassment herself.
Speaking to the Sunday Herald she told how, as a drama student, she was told by a ‘person in power’ her work as an actor was not that good because she was still a virgin.
She said: ‘I don’t think it takes that much to extrapolate that he was offering to help me with this terrible problem of mine.’
‘I’m just a normal bloke’