Huw Edwards set to leave BBC News after internal inquiry, insiders say

Huw Edwards is set to leave his role as the face of BBC News following an internal inquiry into his conduct, BBC insiders have told i.

The News at Ten and election night presenter has been suspended since July, after being accused of paying for explicit images.

A BBC “fact-finding” investigation examined the allegations, as well as claims reported on Newsnight that Edwards sent inappropriate messages to BBC staff.

The results of the investigation have been shown to Edwards, 62, who is in discussion over his future with BBC managers, i has learnt.

The exact findings are still unclear and Edwards insists he has never done anything illegal.

But sources with knowledge of the discussions told i they did not expect Edwards to return to his high-profile role, which included fronting state occasions and presenting the BBC’s flagship news bulletin.

A colleague said: “We understand Huw is not coming back. It’s now a discussion about the terms of his departure and how it is presented.”

Another senior newsroom insider said: “The review is in and unfortunately there isn’t a path back for Huw. There is no expectation he will return.”

Edwards, who is paid £435,000, was named by his wife Vicky Flind as the BBC presenter accused of paying a young person for explicit images. This person was reportedly 17 when first in contact with Edwards but is now 20.

Ms Flind issued a statement on Edwards’ behalf, saying he was “suffering mental health issues” and was receiving in-patient hospital care.

The BBC is not expected to make public the findings of its investigation.

Friends of Edwards say he wants the BBC to make clear that he did nothing illegal. “He does not believe that he has brought the BBC into disrepute,” the colleague said.

However, one source with knowledge of the discussions said negotiations over Edwards’ future were not straightforward. “If he has not brought the BBC into disrepute then what is he being punished for?” the person asked.

“Why should he lose his career because of what looks like a complicated private life? There will be a big price tag to a settlement on those terms.”

The BBC has been frustrated in reaching a swift agreement. “It’s close to a resolution but everything has to go through Huw’s lawyers,” the journalist said.

“The BBC needs to find a mutual agreement so they can re-use archive clips of Huw from important national occasions like the Queen’s death.”

The claims made against Edwards include breaking lockdown rules during Covid to meet a person he met on a dating site.

Another person told the BBC they had received abusive messages from the presenter, who had initially contacted them online.

A Newsnight investigation reported that two current BBC workers and one former member of staff said they had been sent messages that made them feel uncomfortable.

Ms Flind said Edwards would address the issues around his personal life when his mental health recovered.

A BBC spokesperson said: “As we have previously explained, we will not provide a commentary on what is an internal employment process and we would urge people not to indulge in speculation.”

Edwards, the BBC’s highest-paid journalist, was widely praised for guiding viewers through the news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II just over a year ago.

He had effectively replaced David Dimbleby as the voice of state occasions and was to be lead presenter of the BBC’s coverage of the forthcoming general election.

With an early spring poll a possibility, the BBC is moving ahead with plans to replace Edwards, insiders say, with Laura Kuenssberg and Fiona Bruce tipped to play prominent roles.

Insiders said the BBC is unable to formally approach any replacement until the Edwards situation is resolved.

Clive Myrie is considered Edwards’ natural successor as lead presenter of the News at Ten.

The BBC could leave the door open for Edwards to make TV and radio programmes on topics of personal interest like Welsh history and culture, the colleague speculated.

Allegations about Edwards had first been made by The Sun. It reported that a BBC presenter had paid a young person for explicit photos beginning when they were 17, three years ago.

The paper quoted a mother as saying her child had used the money paid for explicit photos to fund a crack cocaine habit.

A lawyer for the young person has since said the accusations were “rubbish”. The family and the newspaper are standing by their story.

After assessing the claims, the Met Police determined that there was no evidence of a criminal offence.

Announcing an internal review into claims made against Edwards, BBC director-general Tim Davie, said: “This has been a difficult affair where we have tried to calmly and reasonably navigate some difficult concerns around the allegations themselves, duty of care, privacy and legitimate public interest.”

A familiar screen face for decades, Edwards joined the BBC as a trainee in 1984.

By the early 90s he was the BBC’s chief political correspondent at Westminster and became a regular anchor on the BBC News channel, then called BBC News 24, after it launched in 1997.

Days before he was named as the figure at the centre of The Sun allegations, Edwards and his colleagues received a TRIC award for the BBC’s coverage of Queen Elizabeth II’s death.

Representatives of Edwards and lawyers for the presenter were approached for comment.