BBC ‘in touch’ with family at centre of star scandal

BBC bosses, grilled by UK parliament, revealed stunning details of their response to allegations against Huw Edwards and their ‘duty of care’ to the star presenter.

The BBC confirmed they’re “in touch” with the accusers of star presenter Huw Edwards two months after initial complaints were ignored.

Grilled before UK parliament over their handling of the scandal, Director-General Tim Davie confirmed the BBC was in contact with the mother of a vulnerable young teen Edwards is accused of paying $86,000 for nudes, starting when the person was 17 and funding a crack cocaine addiction for three years.

“We want to be engaged and appropriately listening and understanding their concern,” Davie said at the Lords Communications Committee session.

The mother of the person first reached out to the BBC on May 18, then again on May 19. The complaint wasn’t elevated to senior management until after The Sun newspaper contacted the broadcaster on July 6.

Huw Edwards, pictured making a speech in February 22, was the BBC’s highest paid news presenter. Picture: Getty Images

In the interim, 61-year-old Edwards – who is the highest-paid anchor on its roster – remained on the air and attended prestigious galas as recently as June 27 with an award for his live event coverage of the Queen’s state funeral.

The BBC has come under intense scrutiny that it sat on the allegations and failed to properly address the complaints, which were not put to Edwards until seven weeks later.

Acting chairwoman of the BBC Dame Elan Closs Stephens said that despite the “huge pressure” to name the presenter at the centre of the scandal, they kept his identity anonymous due to their “duty of care” to Edwards.

Edwards’ identity wasn’t revealed until his wife, Vicky Flind, released a statement saying he had been hospitalised with mental health issues.

“I was trying my best to make for a calm and rational discussion of the issue before we all got carried away in what could have been very wrong directions,” Ms Stephens said.

Since the allegations were first made, the young person disputed the account in a legal letter and the Met Police said there was no evidence of a criminal offence by Edwards, who has been suspended but not fired.

BBC director-general Tim Davie was grilled before UK parliament over his handling of the scandal. Picture: Supplied

The BBC’s internal “fact-finding” investigation, which they say could take “months or longer”. A second review of BBC policy, to be led by Simon Cuerden, a forensic partner at Deloitte and Sir Nick Serota, a senior independent director at the BBC, would not be delivered until late autumn.

Edwards was a household name and key presenter in the broadcaster’s coverage of King Charles III’s coronation in early May, just weeks before the allegations surfaced on May 18. He attended the 2023 BAFTA Television Awards in London on May,

Edwards also anchored the BBC’s biggest news events in Britain, announcing the Queen’s death and covering her funeral, while also covering the general election in 2019, and the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018.

THE BBC’S TIMELINE OF EVENTS

April

The young person’s parents contact South Wales Police to report information about “the welfare of an adult”. Police said that “no criminality was identified”.

Thursday 18 May

A family member goes to the BBC building to make an in-person complaint about the behaviour of BBC presenter Huw Edwards.

Friday 19 May

The family member made a 29-minute call to the BBC’s audience services team. It is referred to the BBC’s corporate investigations team.

The investigations unit emailed asking for more information to verify the claims and the identity of the complainant.

Tuesday 6 June

The BBC’s corporate investigations team claims they received no reply to the email and called the mobile number provided by the complainant.

The BBC claimed the call didn’t connect and no further attempts were made, though the case “remained open”.

Thursday 6 July

The Sun newspaper put the Edwards allegations to the BBC’s corporate press office, which were said to include different claims from the initial complaint.

The complaint was elevated for the first time to BBC Director-General Tim Davie.

An incident management group was established to respond, and a senior manager spoke to Edwards about the allegations for the first time.

Edwards was taken off the air.

Friday 7 July

The story broke in the UK newspaper, The Sun, but did not name the Edwards as the presenter accused of paying sexually explicit photos to fund his crack cocaine addiction, starting when he was 17.

The young person, now in their early-20s, sent a WhatsApp message to the newspaper saying there was “no truth” to their mother’s claims.

The BBC also made contact with the Metropolitan Police.

Saturday 8 July

The Sun quoted the person’s mother as saying the presenter sent pictures in his underwear “ready for my child to perform for him”.

The BBC received additional materials from the family member over the weekend.

Sunday 9 July

The BBC announced the suspension of the presenter, who The Sun alleged called the young person asking “What have you done”.

Monday 10 July

The Met’s Specialist Crime Command told the BBC there was “no investigation at this time”.

A lawyer representing the young person tells the BBC their mother’s allegations “are rubbish”.

Tuesday 11 July

More young people in their 20s came forward with allegations against the presenter, including claims of abusive messages and the breaking of Covid lockdown rules for an in-person meet-up.

The Sun published an Instagram chat between the presenter and a 17-year-old, in which the presenter sent messages including love heart emojis.

Wednesday 12 July

Detectives decide no criminal offence had been committed.

Edwards’ wife Vicky Flind named him as the BBC presenter at the centre of the allegations.