More text sex allegations

Jason Manford has quit The One Show after a new string of Twitter flirtations were made public.

Today’s Sun claims the comic sent rude messages to up to a dozen fans over the microblogging site.

He said: 'I have decided after careful consideration to step down from The One Show to concentrate on my family and tour commitments.'

The BBC said: ‘We have got nothing to say except that we accept Jason's decision.’

The new reports follow newspaper revelations two weeks ago that the married dad, 29, bombarded fan Debra McNamee with salacious messages and begged her to send topless snaps.

Manford, who has twins and a third child with wife Catherine due next month, apologised on air for his previous indiscretions.

He said at the time: ‘I can see now that what started out as a bit of messing about and having a laugh on Twitter has been misjudged and I'd like to apologise to anyone that this has offended as that was the last thing I ever intended to do.’

He has not updated his Twitter account since that story made the front page of The Sun two weeks ago.

Manford has been in the One Show job less than five months, having replaced Adrian Chiles this summer. He is reported to be paid in the region of £100,000 a year for the show, which attracts more than 4million viewers a night.

The flagship show will not air tonight because of the Children In Need charity telethon, but Manford is not expected to return on Monday.

Last week, bookmakers Ladbrokes were offering 4-1 odds that Manford would get the boot from the show before Christmas

Published: 19 Nov 2010