Former BBC newsreader Huw Edwards has been spared jail after admitting to accessing indecent images of children as young as seven.
It comes after more than a year of headlines about the veteran broadcaster, who was the corporation’s highest-paid newsreader, which started when he was named as the presenter at the centre of a scandal over payments to a young person for sexually explicit images.
Here is a timeline of how the events unfolded:
2023
– May 19th
The family of the person, who was 17 when Edwards allegedly started payments back in 2020, complains to the BBC and becomes frustrated when the presenter stays on air.
– July 6th
The Sun contacts the BBC, via the Corporate Press Office, about the allegations they are due to publish.
– July 8th
BBC presenters choose to publicly clear their names, including Gary Lineker, Jeremy Vine and Rylan Clark.
– July 9th
The BBC says in a statement that they have suspended a male presenter from all duties and have contacted the Metropolitan Police over the allegations.
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police say: “The Met has received initial contact from the BBC in relation to this matter, but no formal referral or allegation has been made.”
The Sun reports the presenter allegedly made two calls to the young person and asked them to call their mother to “stop the investigation” after the Sun exclusive was published.
– July 10th
The BBC’s Corporate Investigations Team meets with the Metropolitan Police.
The corporation is asked to pause its investigations into the allegations.
A lawyer representing the young person at the centre of the controversy says the claims in the “inappropriate article” are “rubbish”.
– July 11th
BBC director-general Tim Davie faces the media for a scheduled briefing following the release of the corporation’s annual report and says he has asked Leigh Tavaziva, the BBC Group’s chief operating officer, to assess whether its protocols and procedures are appropriate in light of this case.
The BBC reports that a second person felt threatened by messages they received from the presenter.
– July 12th
The wife of Huw Edwards names him as the presenter at the the centre of the scandal.
She says, in a statement released to the PA news agency, that he is “suffering from serious mental health issues” and receiving “in-patient hospital care”.
The Metropolitan Police and South Wales Police say that no criminal offence had been committed by the presenter and neither force is currently taking any further action in relation to the allegations.
The BBC announces it will resume its “fact-finding investigations” to ensure “due process and a thorough assessment of the facts, whilst continuing to be mindful of our duty of care to all involved”.
BBC Newsnight reports new claims from one current and one former BBC worker, who said they had received “inappropriate messages” from Edwards, “some late at night and signed off with kisses”.
– July 13th
The Lords Communications Committee announces that Mr Davie will be questioned in Parliament about the corporation’s leadership following the furore.
– July 18th
The acting chairwoman of the BBC, Dame Elan Closs Stephens, tells the Communications and Digital Committee that the corporation’s board met twice to discuss the allegations, initially made in The Sun’s July 8 front page.
– November 8th
Edwards is arrested in relation to alleged indecent images of children shared on a WhatsApp chat. The arrest is not made public until July 2024.
The presenter is still suspended but remains on the BBC payroll.
2024
– February 27th
The BBC apologises to the family of the young person at the centre of the Edwards furore.
A report, commissioned in the wake of the scandal, finds a need for “greater consistency” in how complaints at the corporation are processed.
– April 22nd
Edwards resigns, leaving the BBC “on the basis of medical advice from his doctors”, according to the corporation.
In an interview with The Sun, the mother of the young person at the centre of the scandal says their family is “still suffering” and “still have so many questions” following the newsreader’s resignation from the BBC.
– June 26th
Edwards is charged with three counts of making indecent images of children for offences, which are alleged to have taken place between December 2020 and April 2022, following a Met Police investigation.
– July 23rd
It is revealed that Edwards was paid more than £475,000 by the BBC in the previous year before he resigned and left the corporation.
– July 29th
It is revealed that Edwards was arrested in November 2023 and charged with making indecent images of children in June.
According to the charge sheet, Edwards is accused of having six category A images, 12 category B pictures and 19 category C photographs on WhatsApp.
– July 31st
Edwards pleads guilty to making indecent images of children and admits having 41 on WhatsApp, including seven of the most serious type.
The BBC says it knew of Edwards’ arrest over accessing indecent images of children in November but continued employing him until April.
The corporation also issues an internal note to staff co-signed by Mr Davie, chief executive of BBC News & Current Affairs Deborah Turness, and Ms Tavaziva, which says they are “appalled”.
Metropolitan Police say the man who shared indecent images of children with Edwards was 25-year-old convicted paedophile Alex Williams.
– August 1sr
Whistleblowers are critical of an internal inquiry into Edwards’ behaviour following them speaking to the corporation’s investigation team.
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy holds urgent talks with Mr Davie and asks the BBC to look into whether it can recoup money from Edwards’ pay packet.
Mr Davie says the corporation will “look at all options” in trying to reclaim pay from Edwards.
Mr Davie confirms that he knew Edwards had been arrested in November over the most serious category of indecent images of children.
– August 2nd
A Doctor Who episode featuring the voice of Edwards is temporarily removed from BBC iPlayer to be redubbed.
The corporation says Edwards resigned from the broadcaster “without notice or financial settlement” during a confidential disciplinary process.
– August 3
The teenager at the centre of allegations Edwards paid for sexual photos said he felt “groomed” by the broadcaster and “sick” after learning he was charged with child sex crimes.
– August 7th
It is revealed the BBC will retain the Bafta it won for royal coverage fronted by Edwards while individual gongs awarded to the disgraced newsreader remain under review.
– August 8th
Edwards is stripped of his membership of the prestigious Gorsedd of the Bards Welsh arts association.
– August 9th
BBC chairman Samir Shah calls Edwards a “villain” who “behaved in bad faith”, taking “licence fee money to the tune of hundreds of thousands of pounds” in an email to BBC colleagues.
It is revealed that Edwards has resigned from two honorary positions at his former university in Wales.
– September 10th
Mr Shah admits that Edwards “damaged” the reputation of the corporation while being questioned before the House of Lords’ Communications and Digital Committee.
– September 16th
Edwards appears at Westminster Magistrates’ Court for his sentencing hearing and is handed six months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years.
