Huw Edwards named by his wife as BBC presenter accused of paying teen for explicit pictures
The BBC presenter who allegedly paid a teenager more than £35,000 for sexually explicit pictures has been named as Huw Edwards.
He was named by his wife Vicky Flind in a statement issued on his behalf.
Huw Edwards latest: BBC presenter ‘suffering serious mental health issues’
She said her husband 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.
Ms Flind further said that once her husband was “well enough to do so” he intends to respond to the allegations, which she says he was first told about last Thursday.
At 6pm, the BBC said he had resigned but shortly afterwards clarified that he had not quit.
Huw Edwards presenting the BBC News after the allegations were reported to the corporation Pic: BBC News
The revelation the presenter at the centre of the allegations was Edwards came shortly after the Metropolitan Police revealed there was “no information to indicate that a criminal offence has been committed”.
After the Metropolitan Police said it would take no further action, a spokesperson for the BBC said: “The police had previously asked us to pause our fact finding investigations and 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.”
The corporation later added that Edwards was facing “yet more allegations of inappropriate behaviour” towards colleagues at the BBC.
South Wales Police then also issued a statement saying they had also investigated allegations and had found no evidence of any criminal offences being committed.
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Huw Edwards named as BBC presenter accused of paying teen for explicit pictures.
Read more:
‘No criminal offence’ in allegations against Huw Edwards
Who is Huw Edwards? Newsreader named at centre of scandal
Huw Edwards: Wife’s statement in full
Edwards, 61, is one of the corporation’s most high-profile newsreaders and is currently on a salary of just over £430,000.
He has presented the flagship BBC News at Ten programme more than a dozen times since the claims were allegedly reported to the corporation on 19 May.
Edwards has previously spoken about his mental health, telling BBC Radio Cymru in 2019 that he was “mentally in the wrong place” when he was physically “unhealthy”.
He also revealed in a documentary in 2021 he had bouts of depression which have left him occasionally “bedridden” since 2002.
The Sun newspaper claimed a “household name” had been accused of giving a young person more than £35,000.
Pic: BBC News
Edwards allegedly first requested images in 2020 when the young person was 17.
The presenter also faced allegations that he stripped to his underwear during a video call with the youth, who is now aged 20.
The young person’s mother said she was “shocked” when her child showed her a screenshot of the presenter appearing to be “leaning forward, getting ready for my child to perform for him”.
The BBC has suspended Edwards and said it “takes any allegations seriously” and has “robust internal processes in place to proactively deal with such allegations”.
The young person’s family approached The Sun after becoming frustrated that Edwards was still on air a month after they had complained.
Assisted dying could become legal in England and Wales after the bill was backed by MPs in a historic vote.
Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill received 330 yes votes compared to 275 noes at its second reading in the House of Commons – a majority of 55.
Politics Live: MPs voting on historic assisted dying legislation
The bill would allow adults who are terminally ill with just six months left to live to request medical assistance to end their lives.
Today’s result means the legislation will now progress to the committee stage for scrutiny, with the Lords also to be given opportunities to express their views on the measure before it potentially becomes law.
MPs were given a free vote – meaning they could side with their conscience and not along party lines, with the government staying neutral on the matter.
The division list showed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer backed the proposal, as did Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
But other cabinet members like Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood voted against the bill, having previously warned about vulnerable people being coerced and of a “slippery slope of death on demand”.
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MPs debate assisted dying
The vote came after a five-hour debate in the chamber, which drew emotional arguments on both sides.
Conservative former minister Andrew Mitchell revealed he changed his mind on assisted dying after finding himself with “tears pouring down my face” on hearing the stories of constituents whose loved ones had died “in great pain and great indignity”.
On the other side of the argument, veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott said assisted dying could result in sick people “feeling like a burden” on society, adding: ” I can imagine myself saying that in particular circumstances.”
She warned: “If this bill passes, we will have the NHS as a fully-funded 100% suicide service but palliative care will only be funded at 30% at best.”
Bill about ‘choice and dignity’
Opening the debate on the topic, Labour backbencher Ms Leadbeater said the bill was about giving dying people “choice, autonomy, and dignity” – saying the current law was “failing” them.
Kim Leadbeater: PA
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Two people reveal contrasting views on assisted dying
Five stories that bring the assisted dying debate home
She has insisted her bill contains “the most robust safeguards” of any assisted dying legislation in the word.
This includes two independent doctors having to approve the decision, followed by a high-court judge, with the person having to administer the drugs themselves.
The legislation also includes a maximum 14-year prison sentence for anyone who coerces someone into requesting assisted dying or taking the medicine.
Speaking to Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby after the vote, an emotional Ms Leadbeater said she was “incredibly proud” of the result and parliament must now “take on board everything that’s been discussed in the chamber”, including the state of palliative care and the rights of disabled people.
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