Huw Edwards scandal: BBC ‘in touch’ with family of person at centre of explicit photos allegations – corporation boss Tim Davie
BBC boss Tim Davie says the corporation has been in touch with the family of a person at the centre of allegations surrounding Huw Edwards.
Speaking at a pre-arranged Lords Communications Committee session on Tuesday, the director-general said: “We have been in touch with the complainant, we want to be engaged and appropriately listening and understanding their concern”.
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‘We have been in touch with the complainant,’ says BBC director-general
The BBC has faced accusations it did not respond quickly enough to complaints from the family of the young person, after it took seven weeks for allegations to be put to Huw Edwards.
Mr Davie was also asked about holding the BBC’s high-paid talent to account, responding: “I think the history of this industry is such that we should all be concerned and appropriately diligent around the abuse of people in powerful positions”.
He added: “You need to ensure that you’re very, very clear on what your expectations are culturally, as well as the policy.”
He went on to say he was “proud” of the corporation’s code of conduct and values, calling the whistleblowing process by which staff can confidentially report concerns to an external support at work line “a safe place”.
He also confirmed to peers that high-profile presenters at the corporation have a clause in their contract about not bringing the BBC into disrepute.
Edwards, who is the BBC’s highest-earning newsreader, was accused of paying a teenager thousands of pounds for sexually explicit photos.
‘Very wrong directions’
Acting chairwoman of the BBC Dame Elan Closs Stephens told peers despite “huge pressure” to name the presenter at the heart of the scandal, the corporation “had a duty to act with some calm and rationality in the face of lack of rationality and lack of calm”.
She said that duty of care was both to Edwards, the young person and the young person’s family involved “in this maelstrom”.
She went on: “I was on the one hand seeking to establish the right of the board to oversee what was happening, but at the same time, I was trying my best to make for a calm and rational discussion of the issue before we all got carried away in what could have been very wrong directions.”
The family of the young person had originally complained to the BBC in May, but allegations were not put to the presenter, or flagged to senior executives – including Mr Davie – until seven weeks later.
Appeal for information
Mr Davie, along with Dame Elan and policy director Clare Sumner, faced questions about the “adequacy” of the corporation’s governance arrangements and were asked to give updates on the progress of two reports, following the controversy.
The BBC is carrying out “fact-finding investigations” into Edwards, as well as a review to “assess how some complaints are red flagged up the organisation”.
Elaborating on the BBC’s general complaints process, he said a serious allegation would be passed on to its corporate investigations team where it would be assessed by “very experienced people”, and that from there “it could lead to a fact-finding and disciplinary or it might go to the authorities, or it might be dropped”.
Read more:
Who is Huw Edwards?
Was The Sun right to publish allegations?
What friends and colleagues have said about Huw Edwards
BBC chiefs are finally talking – but still avoiding accountability
Essential oils perhaps? A cooling flannel to the forehead?
If Dame Elan Closs Stephens, acting chairwoman of the BBC, has any suggestions on how we journalists chill out, calm down, get a grip – which she clearly thinks we need to do – then please do pass them on.
In truth, I think I may need some tips on stress relief. The rare occasions when bosses at the corporation speak publicly about the Huw Edwards affair are starting to become an exercise in raising one’s blood pressure.
Director-general Tim Davie and Dame Elan fielding questions in parliament, a classic example of how
well-paid guardians of BBC yet again fail to see what the fuss is all about.
For clarity, accountability is an important pillar of the BBC. And yet top bosses seem to have an almost deluded approach to why we expect them to share what goes on behind the scenes.
Yes, finally, we have a few more answers about what’s now happening. Because of their duty of care to those involved, their fact-finding investigation could take weeks or months.
We now know that contractually high-profile presenters agree not to bring the corporation into disrepute.
That, finally, they’ve spoken with the original complainant and want to be “engaged and listening”. They’ve worked out how to make a phone call then?
Forgive the sarcasm, but when Dame Elan criticised the 40 journalists she spoke to on zoom for being so preoccupied by the scandal we failed to report on how well she and her team were handling events behind the scene, it somewhat took the biscuit.
Actually, I wasn’t rubbing my hands together with glee at reporting on the downfall of a well-respected news figure. More over I was contemplating bashing my head against a brick wall out of frustration over how impossible it is to get a straight answer out of the BBC.
For the record, Dame Elan, if you had “wished governance had been more to the fore but can’t dictate how it was reported…” all you had to do was come out and talk to us.
Don’t try to now sell the few brief words you gave to press at the start of a pre-arranged briefing on your annual report as you arranging a proper briefing on the matter, because it certainly wasn’t that.
You are tasked with protecting something precious. Journalists are tasked with making sure you’re doing your job. Accountability and openness is the least required of you.
When are reports due?
Addressing fact-finding probe into Edwards, Mr Davie highlighted the “difficult concerns” involved and appealed for anyone with information to get in touch, saying: “We’re keen to receive any information because we just want to understand anything that’s out there”.
Mr Davie said the report “could take weeks or it could take a couple of months, or even longer”.
With regard to the second review of the BBC’s protocols and procedures, Mr Davie said: “We are doing that work immediately,” adding that it would be delivered in “the autumn, maybe late autumn”.
It will be led by Simon Cuerden, a forensic partner at Deloitte and Sir Nick Serota, a senior independent director at the BBC.
Original allegations
Allegations that Edwards paid a teenager more than £35,000 for sexually explicit photos were first published in The Sun on Friday 7 July. The paper did not name him at the time.
Five days later, the Metropolitan Police said they did not believe any criminal activity had taken place and would be taking no further action.
Following intense speculation over the identity of the BBC presenter, Edwards’ wife, Vicky Flind, confirmed him as the man at the centre of the allegations.
In a statement, she said he was “suffering from serious mental health issues” and was “receiving in-patient hospital care”.
The Sun – who say they never alleged criminality – say they have no plans to publish further allegations against Edwards.
The young person at the centre of the controversy has said – via their lawyer – that their mother’s claims are “rubbish,” and that “nothing inappropriate or unlawful” has taken place.
Edwards, who has since been suspended, is also facing separate allegations from several other people in their early 20s.
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At the weekend, Sir Tony Blair told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday that the BBC should “stand up for itself more” when asked about its response to the situation.
As the face of BBC News At 10, the 61-year-old has previously led election night coverage, and broke the news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death. He was last on air on Wednesday 5 July, covering the King’s visit to Scotland.
Some have questioned The Sun’s decision to publish the original story, and the balance between publishing in the public interest versus the right to privacy has been thrust firmly into the spotlight.
Entertainment
Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home
An American Idol TV executive and her husband have been found dead in their LA home.
Robin Kaye was a music supervisor on the long-running reality TV series.
The bodies of the 70-year-old and her husband Thomas were discovered after officers conducted a welfare check at their home.
Both had died from gunshot wounds.
Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas. Pic: Facebook
Detectives say Raymond Boodarian has been arrested in connection with their deaths.
It is alleged the 22-year-old had burgled their property while they were away on 10 July – killing the couple upon their return.
According to Los Angeles Police, there were “no signs of forced entry or trouble” at the property.
Ms Kaye was an industry veteran – and had previously worked on shows including Lip Sync Battle and The Singing Bee, as well as several Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.
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Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles
In a statement, an American Idol spokesperson said: “Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her.
“Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.”
Entertainment
Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week’s shows in Manchester
Huge steel fences have been erected to prevent ticketless fans from watching the Oasis reunion tour in Manchester.
Liam and Noel Gallagher will resume their sold-out run of shows – their first since 2009 – with a performance at Heaton Park tonight, and two more on Saturday and Sunday.
While tens of thousands bought tickets for Oasis’s first two shows last weekend, crowds gathered to glimpse the large screens above the stage in the distance – in an area dubbed “Gallagher Hill” by some on social media.
People walk past a temporary security fence erected ahead of concerts by Oasis in Heaton Park on 1 July. Reuters file pic
Manchester City Council has now said more steel fences have been erected around parts of the park to prevent ticketless fans from watching the gigs, and to protect nature in the park.
“After taking stock of how the first two nights went, additional measures have now been deemed necessary and will be in place for the next three concerts,” it said.
“The erection of the fencing has a dual purpose – both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there.
“The necessary measure means the concert will no longer be visible from this area.”
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Friday: Excited fans at Oasis homecoming gig
The fences will cover a large area of the hill within the park’s cattle field, which is being developed as a new woodland area with around 300 young trees planted.
The council added that there would be no facilities for people without a ticket, and said the event area is “double-walled with solid high security fencing all the way round”.
More than 2,000 event security staff and police officers will also be on duty around the site “to ensure both the safety and wellbeing of ticket-holders and that only those who have tickets access the concert”, it said.
Read more:
What was Oasis’s first show in 16 years like?
Fans queue all day for Manchester homecoming gig
John Hacking, the council’s executive member for employment, skills and leisure, also said in a statement that “unfortunately our hand has been forced in having to put these additional measures in place”.
He added: “Our advice to music fans who don’t have tickets for the concerts is to head into the city centre instead.
“The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time.
“We’ve got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy, whether they’ve got tickets for the Oasis gigs or not.”
MasterChef presenter John Torode will no longer work on the show after an allegation he used an “extremely offensive racist term” was upheld, the BBC has said.
His co-host Gregg Wallace was also sacked last week after claims of inappropriate behaviour.
On Monday, Torode said an allegation he used racist language was upheld in a report into the behaviour of Wallace. The report found more than half of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated.
Torode, 59, insisted he had “absolutely no recollection” of the alleged incident involving him and he “did not believe that it happened,” adding “racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment”.
John Torode and Gregg Wallace in 2008. Pic: PA
In a statement on Tuesday, a BBC spokesperson said the allegation “involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace”.
The claim was “investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin”, they added.
“The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously,” the spokesperson said.
“We will not tolerate racist language of any kind… we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken.
“John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”
Australian-born Torode started presenting MasterChef alongside Wallace, 60, in 2005.
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Why Gregg Wallace says he ‘will not go quietly’
A statement from Banijay UK said it “takes this matter incredibly seriously” and Lewis Silkin “substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018”.
“This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint,” the TV production company added.
“Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.”
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Earlier, as the BBC released its annual report, its director-general Tim Davie addressed MasterChef’s future, saying it can survive as it is “much bigger than individuals”.
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BBC annual report findings
Speaking to BBC News after Torode was sacked, Mr Davie said a decision is yet to be taken over whether an unseen MasterChef series – filmed with both Wallace and Torode last year – will be aired.
“It’s a difficult one because… those amateur chefs gave a lot to take part – it means a lot, it can be an enormous break if you come through the show,” he added.
“I want to just reflect on that with the team and make a decision, and we’ll communicate that in due course.”
Mr Davie refused to say what the “seriously racist term” Torode was alleged to have used but said: “I certainly think we’ve drawn a line in the sand.”
In 2022, Torode was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, for services to food and charity.
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