Culture Secretary questions BBC boss on handling of Huw Edwards probe

The Culture Secretary has raised concerns with the BBC about the corporation’s handling of its investigation into Huw Edwards after it continued to employ the veteran broadcaster for five months after he was arrested for accessing indecent images of children.

Lisa Nandy held urgent talks with the broadcaster’s director general Tim Davie on Thursday after Edwards admitted making indecent photographs, with seven of the 41 images being of the most serious type, between December 2020 and August 2021 when he was still a fixture on the BBC.

After the meeting, a statement issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: “The Culture Secretary is, like the whole nation, shocked by Huw Edwards’ abhorrent actions, and her thoughts are with the victims whose lives have been destroyed. It is now for the judiciary to decide on an appropriate sentence.

“The BBC is operationally and editorially independent, but given the incredibly serious nature of this issue, the Secretary of State has spoken to the BBC to raise concerns on a number of points regarding the handling of their own investigations into Huw Edwards, what safeguards and processes had been followed in this case, and additionally, what further action may be taken, especially with regard to the handling of licence fee payers’ money.”

Before Edwards resigned on medical advice, he was the broadcaster’s highest-paid newsreader, with a pay bracket between £475,000 and £479,999 for the year 2023/24, according to the BBC’s latest annual report.

That marked a £40,000 pay rise from 2022/23 when he was paid between £435,000 and £439,999.

With members of the public currently paying £169.50 a year for the licence fee which partially funds salaries, it is likely to be raised if Edwards’ salary was the best use of that money.

The DCMS statement added that Ms Nandy “sought assurance that the BBC has robust processes in place regarding non-editorial complaints, and the handling of complex contractual matters, so that in future it can act at pace and be transparent with the public at the earliest opportunity to ensure trust is maintained”.

Ms Nandy has asked the broadcaster to keep her updated on any future developments in the case.

In an interview with BBC News, Mr Davie said the corporation will “look at all options” in trying to reclaim pay from Edwards after the revelations, but added that it is “legally challenging”.

He also defended his decision to not fire Edwards despite knowing the broadcaster had been arrested in November over the most serious category of indecent images of children.