BBC asks Huw Edwards to hand back £200,000 of salary - as disgraced newsreader resigns from honorary positions

The BBC board said the former newsreader had "clearly undermined trust" in the broadcaster.

Tomos Evans

Friday 9 August 2024 19:00, UK

Huw Edwards has been asked to hand back part of his BBC salary after pleading guilty to possessing indecent images of children.

The amount - thought to be about £200,000 - is what he earned for the five months after his arrest.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy previously called on Edwards to return his salary.

The 62-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children at a court hearing last month.

Edwards was named among the BBC's highest-paid stars, despite being off-air since July 2023.

In a statement, the BBC board said: "Today, the board has authorised the executive to seek the return of salary paid to Mr Edwards from the time he was arrested in November last year."

It said Edwards had pleaded guilty to "an appalling crime" and had "clearly undermined trust" in the corporation.

"Had he been up front when asked by the BBC about his arrest, we would never have continued to pay him public money," a spokesperson said.

The board said it had reviewed information both in relation to what was known in the lead up to Edwards being charged and the handling of complaints received by the BBC last year.

The decisions taken by its director general and his team in relation to both series of events have been supported by the board.

But it said in its statement that the BBC executive had now agreed to look again at its approach to the rules around paying employees while suspended.

The board said it was "concerned about the potential for inappropriate workplace behaviour".

Meanwhile, a Cardiff University spokesperson said on Friday that Edwards had resigned from two honorary positions at the institution, where he was associated with the school of journalism.

It comes after other organisations withdrew awards and fellowships from the disgraced newsreader, including York St John University and the Royal Welsh College Of Music And Drama.

Meanwhile, BAFTA says it is reviewing individual awards previously handed to Edwards.

The BBC also announced it had commissioned an independent review to recommend steps to "strengthen a workplace culture in line with BBC values".

It said the terms of reference and leadership of the review would be set out in early September and will report back to the board within months.

Lisa Nandy has welcomed the BBC's decision to launch an independent review and said public trust in the broadcaster was "essential".

Edwards will next appear in court on 16 September.

BBC asks Huw Edwards to hand back £200,000 of salary - as disgraced newsreader resigns from honorary positions

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