Huw Edwards is being asked to refund over £200,000.
After his November arrest for child molestation, the BBC asked Huw Edwards to repay over £200,000 of his income.. BBC head Samir Shah subsequently wrote to staff, stating that anchor “behaved in bad faith” by continuing to receive salary. Edwards, who was arrested on three counts of making indecent kid pictures, was paid for five months following the incident.
Last year, in July, he was placed on suspension and was subsequently arrested four months later. Nevertheless, his resignation from the BBC was delayed until April.
Mr. Shah added that Edwards had been “living double lives” as a beloved broadcaster who “betrayed staff and our audiences”.” He said the broadcaster was a “villain” and the “victims are those children for whose degradation” he offered a market.
Moreover, Edwards pleaded guilty in July to three counts of making indecent images of children. The Metropolitan Police say the charges involve 37 WhatsApp chat images from 2020–2022.
The BBC, however, has not confirmed whether legal proceedings will be undertaken if Edwards refuses to pay back his salary.
In an interview last week, CEO Tim Davie said the business knew about the presenter’s November arrest for child photographs.
” Support the decisions taken by the CEO during this period” was the message sent out by the BBC Board.
“We would never have continued to pay him public money” if Edwards had been forthright when told about his detention by the BBC, it added.
“He has clearly undermined the trust in the BBC and brought us into disrepute” .
The board has “agreed to look at lessons from this period, including the BBC’s approach to the rules surrounding payments when employees are suspended,” according to the statement.
The board feels these events have also brought attention to the issue of power disparities in the workplace, even though the charges are related to his personal life.
Edwards’ compensation increased by £40,000 from April 2023 to April 2024, ranging from £475,000 to £479,999.
Edwards was urged last week by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to repay the BBC £200,000.
The BBC has also revealed plans for an impartial investigation of company culture.
The evaluation is expected to “include work already being undertaken within the BBC, as well as working with the rest of the industry as appropriate” .
In early September, more details, including the review’s leadership, will be announced.
As the culture secretary put it, “public trust in the BBC is essential.” He expressed his approval of the report.
“BBC staff must be able to feel safe in the workplace and be confident that if non-editorial complaints are raised they will be acted upon and dealt with fairly and decisively.”
Ms. Nandy went on to say that she had “to convey these points in the interests of the public” discussed with the BBC chair last week.
Huw Edwards’s attorney has been approached by the BBC for comment.
