BBC radio presenter Tony Livesey leaves broadcaster amid David Sullivan allegations

BBC radio presenter Tony Livesey has left the broadcaster following allegations related to his former role as editor-in-chief of David Sullivan's Sport newspapers. Staff at 5 Live, where Livesey had been hosting a nightly programme, were informed that he would not be returning to the station.

The departure comes after a BBC Panorama investigation accused Sullivan, billionaire and co-owner of West Ham United, of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour towards women over several decades. Sullivan has categorically denied the allegations through his lawyers.

The investigation also raised questions for Livesey, with one alleged victim saying he had arranged a meeting between her and Sullivan. Livesey says he has no recollection of introducing the young woman to Sullivan and that it was not part of his job to do so, adding that he had practically zero contact with people appearing in the paper.

A passage in a 1998 book by Livesey claimed that he and Sullivan had devised the idea for a "countdown to 16" feature, which involved counting down to models' 16th birthdays, when they could legally be pictured topless. Livesey has since said the feature was categorically not his idea and that large parts of the book were fictionalised to make it appear he was at the centre of all stories.

In a message to staff on Monday, Heidi Dawson, controller of 5 Live, said Livesey had decided to leave his presenting role. She noted that he had worked at 5 Live for 16 years, was the first voice on air when the station launched from its new home in Salford, and had hosted the iconic Drive show for 10 years. Dawson thanked Livesey for his contribution to covering major news and sporting events over a decade and a half, and wished him well.

The BBC did not comment on the conclusions of its investigation into the issues raised by Panorama.

Sullivan, 77, had already announced his resignation as a director and co-chair of West Ham United on 6 June, before the publication of a joint investigation by the BBC and the Times that reported on seven women accusing him of sexual misconduct. Three alleged he had abused his power as owner of the Sport newspapers to prey on them for sex when seeking work, while four accused him of exploitative and predatory behaviour.

Livesey joined the Sport titles as a reporter, later becoming editor-in-chief, and spent 18 years at the company before leaving in 2006 to focus on his BBC broadcasting career. One woman alleged she was taken to the Sport offices in Manchester, introduced to Livesey, then editor, and that he called Sullivan to set up a meeting. The same woman described an unwanted sexual encounter with Sullivan during that meeting.

When he stepped down from Sport, Livesey defended the publication, saying it had made a profit every year and that its aim was to give people a laugh.