Veteran news anchor Huw Edwards named as BBC presenter in explicit images scandal

The veteran news anchor’s wife says he is ‘suffering from serious mental health issues’ and ‘receiving inpatient hospital care for the foreseeable future’.

Veteran BBC journalist Huw Edwards has been named as the presenter who paid a young person thousands of dollars for explicit images. Picture: AFP.

Veteran news anchor Huw Edwards was on Wednesday revealed by his wife as the BBC presenter accused of paying for explicit images but police said no criminal offence had been committed.

Vicky Flind said in a statement that her husband was “suffering from serious mental health issues” and was now “receiving inpatient hospital care where he will stay for the foreseeable future”.

At the same time, the London Metropolitan Police issued a statement saying there was “no information to indicate that a criminal offence has been committed”.

The furore has been front page news and the lead story on radio and television news bulletins for six successive days, with frenzied speculation on social media about the star’s identity until the confirmation.

It comes after the BBC was rocked in recent years by scandals which saw some of their biggest names revealed as serial sex offenders.

Edwards, 61, is one of the most recognisable faces on UK television, and was the man entrusted with telling the world that Queen Elizabeth II had died.

Ms Flind said in her statement that her husband had gone downhill over the past few days.

“The events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters, he has suffered another serious episode and is now receiving inpatient hospital care where he’ll stay for the foreseeable future,” she said.

“Once well enough to do so, he intends to respond to the stories that have been published.

“To be clear Huw was first told that there were allegations being made against him last Thursday.

“In the circumstances and given Huw’s condition I would like to ask that the privacy of my family and everyone else caught up in these upsetting events is respected. I know that Huw is deeply sorry that so many colleagues have been impacted by the recent media speculation. We hope this statement will bring that to an end.”

Huw Edwards attends the 2023 BAFTA Television Awards.

BBC colleagues came forward to express sympathy for Edwards and his family.

John Simpson, the BBC’s world affairs editor, described the situation as a “purely personal tragedy for everyone involved”.

He wrote on Twitter: “I feel so sorry for everyone involved in this: for the Edwards family, for the complainants, and for Huw himself. No criminal offences were committed, so it’s a purely personal tragedy for everyone involved. Let’s hope the press leave them all alone now.”

Former BBC editor Tim Luckhurst told Sky News Edwards was “one of the kindest, most reliable, most inspirational colleagues I have ever had the pleasure to work with”. He said the news was “truly upsetting”.

“There have always been two sides to this story. We’ve seen one side courtesy of The Sun — and I make no criticism of The Sun for its reporting, which has genuinely set the agenda — but we haven’t heard Huw Edwards’s side of the story,” he said.

“Given Huw Edwards is in hospital and his family want peace, I suspect we’re going to wait some time to hear that, but hopefully the BBC will get to the bottom of this, and will get to the bottom of it with rigour and a degree of speed, that would be truly helpful.”

The BBC has been under the spotlight since allegations emerged last week in The Sun newspaper from the parents of a young adult, who said that the presenter had paid for explicit images of their child.

The young adult, however, called the claims “rubbish”.

BBC presenter Huw Edwards revealing the news of the Queen's death on September 8, 2022. Picture: BBC

The tabloid newspaper did not name the presenter, but accused the BBC of failing to properly investigate the claims, sparking another crisis at the national broadcaster.

Edward’s wife said she was revealing his identity “after what have been five extremely difficult days for our family” and was doing so “primarily out of concern for his mental wellbeing and to protect our children”.

Further claims have since been made against the presenter, as three more people came forward with complaints over the last two days.

The BBC itself reported on Tuesday that another person in their 20s had come forward to say they received threatening messages from the presenter while The Sun reported that he also broke Covid lockdown rules to meet another young person he met on a dating site.

The alleged pandemic breach has a particular resonance in the UK as the BBC was at the time reporting on the country’s third lockdown and how it was being enforced.

Covid rule-breaking in Downing Street also led to the long-running “Partygate” scandal that contributed to the downfall of former prime minister Boris Johnson.

A fourth person also told The Sun the star sent messages containing love hearts and kisses on Instagram when they were aged 17.

The first claims emerged in an article published Friday, in which the parents said the presenter had paid a total of £35,000 ($67,000) for the pictures.

The family said their child had used the money to fuel a crack cocaine addiction, prompting lawyers acting for the young person to deny the claims.