Scottish television and radio presenter Kaye Adams has broken her silence, describing enduring 'the most wretched five weeks' after being accused of bullying a junior member of staff at BBC Scotland.
A Career in Jeopardy
The 62-year-old Loose Women panellist, who earns an estimated £155,000 a year from the broadcaster, was removed from her position following the allegations. The complaint was made under the corporation's Call It Out scheme, an internal system designed to allow staff to report concerns.
Speaking candidly on her podcast, How To Be 60, which she co-hosts with Karen MacKenzie, Adams revealed the profound personal toll the situation has taken. She confessed to undergoing intense 'soul searching' and struggling with the perception of 'who she was painted as'.
'I've done a lot of soul searching. It's been miserable, it's been absolutely horrible,' she told listeners. 'But I'm at a stage now that I think 'do you know what, I know I'm not the person that I was painted as. I'm not perfect, never said I was, but I'm not the person I was painted as.''
Personal Strain and Family Impact
The broadcaster also opened up about the effect the scandal has had on her family life, particularly her relationship with her two daughters. Adams expressed feeling 'terrible' for not being 'as available to them as I normally would be because I'm too wrapped up in my own bloody issues'.
She shared a poignant moment where her eldest daughter, Charlie, visited for a weekend, during which they 'walked and walked and walked and walked' as a form of solace. Adams stated her determination not to let the situation 'rinse me of all joy, which it certainly has done' and that she 'can't allow it to do that to my family'.
This is not the first time Adams has spoken about the distress caused by the allegations. She previously characterised the experience as 'the most distressing weeks of my professional life'. In a previous podcast episode, she admitted to being unable to sleep and feeling as if 'layers of my skin have been torn off'.
The Ongoing BBC Investigation
The Mail on Sunday reported that the investigation was launched following concerns about an alleged 'shouting incident' during a debriefing session attended by Adams, the BBC’s new Head of Radio Victoria Easton Riley, and other staff members.
Adams has firmly denied this account, stating, '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.'
According to sources, the BBC's probe is not limited to a single event. Investigators are reportedly questioning staff who currently work with Adams at BBC Radio Scotland and those who have worked with her during her 15 years at the station in Glasgow about her conduct 'over a number of years'.
A senior BBC Scotland figure confirmed, '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 spokesperson for BBC Scotland declined to comment on the individual case, reiterating that 'if any complaints or concerns are raised, we have robust internal processes in place to manage these.'
Despite the ongoing turmoil, Adams has acknowledged being 'inundated with messages of support from people who I have dealt with both personally and professionally over the decades,' for which she expressed profound gratitude.
