The Panorama programme featuring an interview with an alleged Jeffrey Epstein victim who claims she slept with the Duke of York while under age will now be an hour long, the BBC has said.

An extra 30 minutes has been added to the running time of the investigative show, which will be screened on Monday evening and include the interview with Virginia Giuffre.

It is not known why the programme has been extended because the BBC declined to comment.

Andrew's attempts to defend himself against Ms Giuffre's accusations and explain his friendship with Epstein, a convicted sex offender, in a BBC Newsnight interview failed dramatically.

Virginia Roberts, pictured just days ago, is set to to appear on BBC Panorama on Monday next week

Ms Giuffre has claimed in court papers in Florida that she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was aged 17, under the state's age of consent

The Duke of York was pictured for the first time after his Newsnight interview, leaving Buckingham Palace on November 21

A BBC News Press Team tweet on Panorama's official account said: 'Change of timing for next week's @BBCPanorama, as the programme is now an hour long. The Prince and the Epstein Scandal will now air at 9pm on @BBCOne on Monday 2 December.'

The duke has withdrawn from public duties after he was widely criticised for failing to show remorse for his friendship or much empathy with Epstein's alleged victims during his television appearance.

He has resigned from a large number of patronages or seen organisations he was once involved with sever ties.

Ms Giuffre has claimed in court papers in Florida that she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was aged 17, under the state's age of consent.

Her allegations, which Andrew strenuously denies, were struck from US civil court records in 2015 after a judge said they were 'immaterial and impertinent'.

Andrew's attempts to defend himself against Ms Giuffre's accusations and explain his friendship with Epstein, a convicted sex offender, in a BBC Newsnight interview failed dramatically

Virginia Roberts (pictured with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell) says the prince had sex with her three times

Buckingham Palace has branded the allegations 'false and without any foundation', stating: 'Any suggestion of impropriety with under-age minors' by the duke was 'categorically untrue'.

Epstein was found dead on August 10 in his prison cell in New York, where he was being held on sex trafficking charges.