BBC ‘warnings to Edwards 2 years before scandal’
HUW Edwards was allegedly warned by the BBC about his online conduct two years before the scandal that led to him being taken off air, it has been claimed.
The newsreader, 62 – who has not broadcast since he was accused last July of paying a young person for sexually explicit images – was spoken to about his behaviour on two separate occasions in 2021 and 2022, according to reports.
The first meeting came after a complaint from a woman, who was in her 40s at the time, in May 2021, it was alleged. She had requested that Edwards stop contacting her, which prompted bosses to speak to him ‘about his actions’.
However, they remained in contact, leading to a second complaint from the woman, in 2022, The Times said. A senior manager allegedly spoke to Edwards again, advising that ‘further concerns had been raised’ and any contact ‘should now cease’.
But the pair are said to have remained in touch via email.
The woman had begun messaging Edwards privately on Instagram in 2018, according to a BBC report which was seen by The Times.
Following each of the bosses’ meetings with Edwards, the woman reportedly retracted her complaints after being contacted by the star. The claims reportedly came to light following an internal BBC investigation into its handling of both complaints.
The BBC supposedly admitted that the 2022 meeting with Edwards ‘could have been conducted more formally’.
The Times said Edwards’ lawyers were ‘unable to comment on these unsubstantiated allegations’.
Last week, Edwards resigned from his £439,000 a year job because of ‘ medical advice’. The BBC said that its star anchor, who broke the news of Queen Elizabeth’s death and presented coverage of most major national events, had left on health grounds.
There was no mention of allegations he sent more than £35,000 to a teenager in return for sexually explicit pictures.
The BBC told The Times: ‘When dealing with non-editorial complaints we have longstanding and robust processes in place. We will always seek to handle any such issues with care, fairness and sensitivity to everyone concerned.’