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BBC asks Huw Edwards to pay back over £200k paid in salary after arrest 

Huw Edwards has been asked by the BBC to return the salary he earned after being arrested on child abuse image charges.

In a statement on Thursday, the corporation’s board said that steps had been taken to retrieve the salary paid to Edwards since his arrest in November.

It reads: “Mr Edwards pleaded guilty to an appalling crime. Had he been up front when asked by the BBC about his arrest, we would never have continued to pay him public money. He has clearly undermined trust in the BBC and brought us into disrepute.”

A independent review will be commissioned to make recommendations on strengthening the BBC’s workplace culture.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, welcomed the move, writing: “Public trust in the BBC is essential, and so I welcome the BBC’s decision to launch an independent review into the culture within the organisation following the Huw Edwards case and his abhorrent actions.”

It follows widespread consternation that the disgraced broadcaster had continued to be paid a substantial BBC salary for five months after his arrest.

In July, Edwards pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children just days after it emerged he had been the BBC’s highest-paid newsreader in 2023/24, earning up to £480,000.

After his arrest in November, Edwards continued to receive a salary from the corporation despite his suspension. He earnt £200,000 in the period until his resignation this April on medical grounds.

The arrest was shrouded from the public and most of BBC staff.

Tim Davie, BBC Director-General, has since defended the handling of the matter, stating that police had asked the BBC to keep details of the arrest confidential while the investigation was underway and no charges had been brought.

Last week, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said it was “wrong” that the disgraced presenter had continued to be paid his salary in the months between his arrest in November and eventual resignation this April.

“I think he ought to return his salary,” Ms Nandy said. “I think having been arrested on such serious charges all the way back in November, to continue to receive that salary all the way through until he resigned is wrong and it’s not a good use of taxpayers’ money.”

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