Police investigate as BBC presenter sent racist abuse 'following tweet by actor Laurence Fox'

Police said they are investigating allegations of racist and homophobic abuse targeted at the BBC’s LGBT correspondent after actor Laurence Fox tweeted about him.

Ben Hunte, who reports on LGBT affairs for the corporation, said while he and his relatives are fine he “will let the police take over”.

Watch: Laurence Fox defends his controversial comments

On Thursday evening, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “We are aware of a tweet posted earlier today relating to an allegation of abuse on social media. We have received an initial report and officers will be contacting the complainant to take further details.”

Hunte asked for anyone who has an issue with his job or the BBC needed to use the corporation’s complaints process and not contact his family.

“I am doing my job to the best of my abilities,” Hunte said.

“I am proud of being a journalist and so grateful to those who share their experiences with me.”

Actor Laurence Fox has built a reputation on his involvement in the idea of “culture wars”, previously describing suggestions of “racism” as being behind Meghan Markle’s treatment by some as “boring”.

He has launched a political party, Reclaim, which he said was being backed by “those wishing to add their voices to this reclamation of our values”.

He has been a vocal critic of the BBC, repeatedly calling for its defunding and recently attacking it for censoring The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York.

The BBC News press team said it “won’t tolerate abuse and threats aimed at our journalists”.

Yahoo News UK has contacted Laurence Fox for comment.

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