Huw Edwards: BBC boss Tim Davie denies ‘wholesale banning’ of newsreader footage after scandal
The BBC’s boss has said there has been “no wholesale banning” of footage from the corporation’s archive after the scandal surrounding former newsreader Huw Edwards.
Edwards was named among the BBC’s highest-paid stars in the year 2023-24, despite being off-air since July 2023.
The 62-year-old is due to be sentenced next week after pleading guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children at a court hearing earlier this year.
In August, the BBC asked him to hand back the part of his salary, thought to be about £200,000, earned in the five months after he was first arrested.
Director general Tim Davie and BBC chair Dr Samir Shah faced questions from the House of Lords’ Communications and Digital Committee on Tuesday.
Mr Davie said the “standard practice” was to pay suspended employees.
“This affair has not been easy for any of us at the BBC, and particularly for those people who’ve been impacted,” he said.
“But I think it’s absolutely right to look back and reflect and say what are the learnings here. This is standard practice but maybe we should be challenging that.”
Dr Samir Shah and Tim Davie. Pic: PA
A story first emerged in The Sun last year that a then unnamed BBC presenter had allegedly paid a young person for explicit photographs.
Days later, Edwards’ wife named him as the presenter at the centre of the allegations.
Following a separate police investigation, Edwards was arrested and later charged with three counts of making indecent images of children.
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Dr Shah said Edwards had “damaged the reputation” of the BBC.
“I should say, it was a shock to discover, when it was announced, when he was charged, that he had led this double life,” he added.
Mr Davie told the committee he did not think it “appropriate” to make public the BBC’s investigation into the initial allegations.
“If in the process of any disciplinary investigation, we found anything of a very serious nature, or criminal, or anything of that type, we would of course refer it to the police and we’d be in a completely different situation,” he said.
“That is not what came through any of the work we did. We’ve clearly got things progressing outside the workplace, but we’re very clear with regard to where we are within the workplace.”
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The director general said he would “welcome the idea” of looking again at the policy to pay employees during suspension.
“This affair has not been easy for any of us at the BBC, and particularly for those people who’ve been impacted,” he said.
“But I think it’s absolutely right to look back and reflect and say what are the learnings here. [Paying suspended employees] is standard practice but maybe we should be challenging that.”
Entertainment
Snoop Dogg becomes co-owner and investor of Swansea football club saying it’s ‘an underdog just like me’
Police are taking no further action over Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury.
Officers said they had investigated “comments about a forthcoming court case made during Kneecap’s performance” at the festival on 28 June.
However, after Crown Prosecution Service advice, they decided there is not enough evidence “to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
The Avon & Somerset force started investigating the Irish group’s show last month, as well as comments by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
It said they were looking at a possible public order incident.
Police said on Friday that the investigation into Bob Vylan’s performance was ongoing.
The London duo were widely criticised – and caused a BBC crisis – after leading on-stage chants of “death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces).
Kneecap’s Liam Og O Hannaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June. Pic: PA
Kneecap posted a photograph on Instagram, which the group said was an email from police announcing the case was being dropped.
They said their packed Glastonbury gig was a “celebration of love and solidarity” and reporting used “wildly misleading headlines”.
Fears over what Kneecap might do or say during the performance had prompted the BBC not to show it live.
The group said: “Every single person who saw our set knew no law was broken, not even close… yet the police saw fit to publicly announce they were opening an investigation.”
“There is no public apology, they don’t send this to media or post it on police accounts,” they added.
The police statement on Friday said they had informed Kneecap of their decision to drop the case.
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One of the group’s members appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation in the UK, at a gig last year.
He was released on unconditional bail ahead of a second court appearance in August.
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
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