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A BBC presenter has been forced to apologise after using a homophobic slur during a work meeting. Nicky Campbell, who has presented a show on Radio 5 Live for almost 40 years, was said to have used the term "poofter" while telling an anecdote in a work meeting.

The 65-year-old was recounting a story to six editors and producers on his show about an incident in which someone else had said the word. One editor hastily apologised for any offence caused after the meeting had finished; however, Mr Campbell them apologised to the whole team. A source said half of those present had laughed the incident off, with the other half left saying "what the f***".

"But there's been a growing backlash since then," they added. "There are people who could be really offended by the comment."

Mr Campbell has presented a mid-morning show on BBC Radio 5 Live since 2021, after previously co-hosting the BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast programme for 20 years.

He is also known for presenting the BBC music programme Top Of The Pops and the ITV game show Wheel of Fortune in the 1980s and 1990s, and is married to journalist Tina Ritchie, with whom he has four children.

The incident is just the latest scandal to hit the radio station, with host Tony Livesey "stepping back" from his regular slot last month following sexual abuse allegations against his former colleague David Sullivan.

Mr Livesey was previously editor-in-chief of newspapers owned by Mr Sullivan, who was the subject of a joint investigation by the BBC's Panorama team and The Times in June.

The BBC said Mr Livesey would be stepping away from presenting his show for "a short time" and that it was taking the allegations, some of which involved the 62-year-old, "seriously".

The BBC refused to comment but confirmed that after recounting an incident in which someone else had used the offensive term, Mr Campbell apologised to the whole team face-to-face.