BBC: Huw Edwards in hospital as he is named in BBC presenter row
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By Sean Seddon From BBC NEWS
Huw Edwards is in hospital with “serious mental health issues”, his wife says, as she named him as the BBC presenter at the centre of allegations.
His wife Vicky Flind said she was issuing a statement on his behalf after days of speculation “primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children”.
The Sun has claimed he paid a young person for sexually explicit images.
The Met Police says Edwards, 61, will not face any police action.
The family statement said the news presenter intends to respond to the allegations personally when he is well enough.
The statement read: “In light of the recent reporting regarding the ‘BBC Presenter’ I am making this statement on behalf of my husband Huw Edwards, after what have been five extremely difficult days for our family. I am doing this primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children.
“Huw is suffering from serious mental health issues. As is well documented, he has been treated for severe depression in recent years.
“The events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters, he has suffered another serious episode and is now receiving in-patient hospital care where he’ll stay for the foreseeable future.”
‘No offence committed’
In the statement issued through PA News, she said she hoped confirmation of Edwards’ identity would bring an end to speculation about BBC presenters unconnected to the allegations.
She said her husband had been “first told that there were allegations being made against him last Thursday”.
The statement appealed for privacy on behalf of their family, and said it was publicly documented that Edwards had suffered mental health problems previously.
Minutes before the family statement was published, a separate update was issued by the Met, which has been assessing the allegations in recent days after discussions with BBC executives.
It said: “Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command have now concluded their assessment and have determined there is no information to indicate that a criminal offence has been committed.
“In reaching this decision, they have spoken to a number of parties including the BBC and the alleged complainant and the alleged complainant’s family, both via another police force.”
It said detectives are “aware of media reporting of further allegations against the same individual” but has received “no specific details or information about these allegations… and therefore there is no police action at this time”.
The BBC said it would continue its “fact finding investigations” into the allegations. It had been put on hold at the Met’s request while it carried out its own enquiries.
A spokesperson for the corporation said: “We will now move forward with that work, ensuring due process and a thorough assessment of the facts, whilst continuing to be mindful of our duty of care to all involved.”
In an email to staff, BBC director general Tim Davie said “this remains a very complex set of circumstances”.
He said the family statement “is a reminder that the last few days have seen personal lives played out in public”, adding: “At the heart of this are people and their families.
“This will no doubt be a difficult time for many after a challenging few days. I want to reassure you that our immediate concern is our duty of care to all involved.”
Watch: ‘This is such dramatic news’ – Katie Razzall talks about Huw Edwards by clicking HERE
Last night’s statements “have acted like a dash of cold water to the face of all journalists,” Craig Oliver, Huw Edwards’ former boss on the Ten O’Clock News, said.
“I think that one of the things that’s really come of this, is should news just slow down and allow the processes to take place, allow the facts to emerge and then report the story?,” he told BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme.
The story has raised “much bigger issues for journalism,” former ITN chief executive Stewart Purvis also told the programme.
“In what circumstances is it legitimate for a news organisation to investigate and report on the private life of somebody with a high public profile?,” he asked.
Edwards has worked for the BBC since the mid-1980s, rising from a trainee position to becoming one of BBC News’ most recognisable presenters.
As well as hosting the Ten O’Clock News on television, he has led coverage of major news events, such as elections and the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The initial allegations, first reported on Friday, were that the presenter paid a young person for explicit photos, beginning when they were 17.
The paper’s source was the mother and step-father of the young person – but a letter issued on the young person’s behalf by a lawyer described their account as “rubbish”.
South Wales Police previously said it had told the young person’s family there was no criminal wrongdoing after being approached prior to their complaint to the BBC and account to the Sun.
In another statement on Wednesday, the force said it had recently carried out further inquiries and had found “no evidence that any criminal offences have been committed”.
On Tuesday, the BBC published an investigation after speaking to an individual in their 20s who said they said were sent abusive and menacing messages by the presenter.
The Sun then published another story claiming the presenter broke Covid lockdown rules in February 2021 to meet a 23-year-old he had met on a dating site, and sent what they described as “quite pressurising” messages.
The newspaper also published what it says is an Instagram chat between the presenter and a 17-year-old, where the presenter sent messages including love heart emojis.
The BBC has not been able to verify these messages.
A spokesperson for the Sun said the newspaper has no plans to publish further allegations about Edwards and will co-operate with the BBC’s internal investigation process.
A statement read: “The allegations published by the Sun were always very serious. Further serious allegations have emerged in the past few days…
“The Sun will cooperate with the BBC’s internal investigation process. We will provide the BBC team with a confidential and redacted dossier containing serious and wide-ranging allegations which we have received, including some from BBC personnel.”
The Sun’s statement said it had not accused Edwards of criminality in its original front page story.
The newspaper had reported Edwards had paid the person for pictures when they were 17 – but it did not explain such actions could be an offence. Under-18s are classed as children in the law covering sexual images. This is higher than the age of sexual consent, which is 16.
In later versions of the story, the Sun changed the wording of this allegation to “it is understood contact between the two started when the youngster was 17”.
Despite allegations emerging publicly and being widely discussed, media outlets – including BBC News – initially took the decision not to name the presenter due to privacy concerns.
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