BBC News presenter Huw Edwards has been revealed as the unnamed media figure that was the focus of a complaint that alleged he had paid a young person for sexually explicit images.
It was first reported in The Sun on Friday (July 7) that a presenter allegedly began paying the young person over a three-year period and that a total of £35,000 was paid for the content.
The BBC said it first became aware of a complaint from the young person’s family in May and then of "new allegations" on Thursday, July 6.
A lawyer representing the young person later said on Monday (July 10) that nothing inappropriate or unlawful happened.
BBC news anchor Huw Edwards named by his wife as presenter in explicit photo row, in statement on his behalf https://t.co/YpD6v4K07Z
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) July 12, 2023
Following this Huw Edwards' wife Vicky Flind has revealed in a statement today (Wednesday, July 12) that he was the previously unnamed presenter.
She said he was "suffering from serious mental health issues" and is now "receiving in-patient hospital care where he will stay for the foreseeable future" as she asked for privacy for her family.
The 61-year-old has had a long career at the BBC News, covering many major events, and here is a look at his career.
Huw Edwards and his career at the BBC
At university level Edwards studied French, graduating with a first-class honours degree from University College, Cardiff, in 1983.
It was only after that he got into journalistic work, becoming a reporter for local radio station Swansea Sound after starting postgraduate work at Cardiff University in Medieval French.
He joined the BBC as a news trainee in 1984, eventually becoming a Parliamentary correspondent for BBC Wales in 1986.
🚨 | BREAKING: Vicky Flind - wife of BBC News presenter Huw Edwards - has named him on his behalf as the BBC presenter facing allegations pic.twitter.com/R3jKGyJG5m
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) July 12, 2023
A few years later Edwards presented the BBC Six O'Clock News between 1994 and 2003, before getting the job of main presenter on the Ten O’Clock News.
Since then he has presented or contributed to a range of other BBC News programmes, including Breakfast News, One O'Clock News, Newsnight and Panorama.
Major events he has led the coverage of include the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Diamond Jubilee, the death of Nelson Mandela, the death of Queen Elizabeth II and her subsequent funeral.
Alongside that Edwards has worked alongside David Dimbleby to present coverage of political events such as the 2015 general election and the 2016 EU referendum.
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