Long-time BBC presenter Huw Edwards resigns months after explicit photo scandal

Huw Edwards, the long-time BBC presenter who was often picked to anchor coverage of major news events, has resigned, nine months after he was the subject of a pornography scandal.

In a statement released Monday, the corporation said Edwards, 62, had resigned for "medical reasons".

He had not been on air since July 2023 when reports in Britain's tabloids detailed claims he paid £35,000 ($67,000) to a young male, who sent him explicit images.

"After 40 years of service, Huw has explained that his decision was made on the basis of medical advice from his doctors," the BBC statement read.

"The BBC has accepted his resignation which it believes will allow all parties to move forward. We don't believe it appropriate to comment further."

Edwards has never commented publicly about the claims, and London's Metropolitan Police did not take action against, saying there was nothing to suggest the star had committed a criminal offence.

While Edwards was not identified in the initial reporting, his wife, Vicky Flind, named him after several days of intense speculation in the UK.

She revealed he had been admitted to hospital with "serious mental health issues" in the wake of the allegations.

Edwards, who joined the BBC in 1984, had previously fronted the corporation's flagship news bulletins and routinely anchored prominent coverage, including announcing the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.

The claims first appeared in The Sun newspaper, which quoted the young person's mother and step-father.

However, their account was later described as "rubbish" by a lawyer acting for the young male.

Earlier this year, the BBC apologised for its handling of a complaint made by one of the young person's family members about Edwards alleged behaviour in May 2023.

Details of the complaint did not reach senior managers until early July, the same time the story broke in The Sun.

An independent report identified the need for greater consistency with regard to the handling complaints across the BBC's various departments.

A story on the BBC's website claimed the organisation had not paid Edwards off.

By Riley Stuart

Original article link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-23/huw-edwards-resigns-from-bbc-nine-months-after-photo-scandal/103756340