The BBC has removed a video of a teenager accused of murdering three girls in Southport after it emerged he starred in a Children in Need advert.

A spokesman for BBC Children in Need said the clip was removed across all platforms “out of respect” for the victims.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to everyone impacted by this shocking case,” he said.

In a now-deleted clip promoting the charity from 2018, Axel Rudakubana is seen leaving the Tardis dressed as The Doctor, wearing a trench coat and tie that makes him look like the show’s former star David Tennant.

A then-11-year-old Rudakubana tells viewers “It’s that time of year again”, before offering advice on how best to raise money.

It is understood that the teenager was found for the video through a casting agency and had nothing to do with any Children In Need projects.

The 17-year-old appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, charged with the murders of Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.

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He is also charged with the attempted murders of yoga class instructor Leanne Lucas, businessman John Hayes, and eight children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and with possession of a kitchen knife with a curved blade.

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Despite being under the age of 18, Judge Andrew Menary KC lifted reporting restrictions that had prevented the naming of Rudakubana on Thursday.

He said this was necessary to stop the spread of “misinformation” after a false name circulated online had led to disorder and violence on the streets of Southport.

A plea and trial preparation hearing for Rudakubana has been set for 25 October at Liverpool Crown Court, with a provisional trial date, lasting six weeks, scheduled for 20 January next year.

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