Huw Edwards named as BBC presenter accused of paying teen for explicit pictures
The veteran news anchor was named in a statement released by his wife which also said he was suffering from 'serious mental health issues'.
Wednesday 12 July 2023 18:11, UK
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.
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.
At 6pm, the BBC said he had resigned but shortly afterwards clarified that he had not quit.
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.
The Sun newspaper claimed a "household name" had been accused of giving a young person more than £35,000.
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".
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The young person's family approached The Sun after becoming frustrated that Edwards was still on air a month after they had complained.