Huw Edwards: BBC continues to seek to recover newsreader's salary after arrest for 'appalling' crimes
The BBC is still seeking to recover part of Huw Edwards' salary following his arrest, with director-general Tim Davie calling his crimes "appalling."
Speaking after Edwards' sentencing at Westminster Magistrates' Court, Davie confirmed the corporation is in discussions to reclaim around £200,000 paid after Edwards' November 2023 arrest. "We want the money back, and we've asked for it back, and we're waiting to hear back," Davie said.
At the Royal Television Society (RTS) annual convention, Davie made it clear that Edwards, who pleaded guilty to three counts of "making" indecent images of children, would not return to the BBC. "This man has just been convicted of appalling crimes, and it's pretty straightforward in my mind," Davie said.
Edwards, 63, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday morning (September 16) for his sentencing hearing after admitting to three charges of “making” indecent photographs of children as young as seven years old. It comes after he was sent 41 images from convicted paedophile Alex Williams over WhatsApp.
The judge handed down a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years for the crimes. The court heard earlier in the day that he had prompted Williams to “go on” after the convicted paedophile asked if Edwards wanted “naughty pics and vids” of subjects who were described as “yng [sic]”.
The court also heard that Edwards sent around £200 to Williams during their conversations on WhatsApp after Williams asked for a “Christmas gift after all the hot videos”. Of the indecent images sent to and accessed by Edwards, most of the children were estimated to be aged between 13 and 15, although one victim was estimated to be as young as between seven and nine.
When asked about the impact of the scandal on the BBC's reputation, Davie acknowledged that "an affair like this impacts our reputation" but emphasised the need to "maintain trust by doing the right things." Presenter Amol Rajan also questioned why Edwards' salary continued after the allegations surfaced.
Davie said: "We wrestled with it but took the decision that pay continues until someone is charged... I think it was the right decision based on current policy."
Edwards was among the BBC's highest-paid stars in the last financial year, despite being off-air since July 2023. Davie reiterated the BBC's commitment to recovering Edwards' salary paid after his arrest, adding that victims' families remain a "primary concern" and that young people who raised concerns were "taken seriously" at the time.
During the same event, Davie was also asked about the ongoing investigation into allegations of abuse behind the scenes at Strictly Come Dancing. While the investigation is nearing completion, Davie declined to provide further details, stating, "We have to do the process."
He added that he remains "optimistic" about changes within the BBC and emphasised the importance of accountability in maintaining the trust of the public. "We're just shocked, and there's a lot of upset... across the BBC, we've got great teams, good people, and they feel deeply, deeply let down," he said.