Who is Huw Edwards, the BBC presenter at the center of a scandal over the alleged payment of some explicit photos

Huw Edwardsthe BBC broadcast journalist at the center of a scandal over payment for explicit photographs, is one of the most prominent newscasters in United Kingdom.

The BBC selected him to lead coverage of major national events, a reflection of how highly regarded he was in the corporation.

LOOK: Huw Edwards is identified as the BBC presenter in the middle of a scandal over the payment of explicit photos

He enjoyed the sympathy of viewers and for decades built his reputation as a trusted figure on the screen.

On July 5, in his last live appearance for BBC News before the scandal broke, Edwards broadcast Scotland’s preparations to receive King Charles III from Edinburgh.

A week later, The television career of this 61-year-old journalist has been called into question after his wife issued a statement in which he designated him as the BBC presenter who was facing a series of accusations.

A brilliant ascent

Edwards presented some of the BBC’s main news.

Edwards joined the BBC as a trainee in 1984.

He got a job as a political reporter for BBC Wales and two years later became the BBC’s Parliamentary Correspondent in Wales.

In the early 1990s he was the BBC’s chief political correspondent in Westminster.

He became a regular face on the BBC News channel – later renamed BBC News 24 – since it went on the air in 1997.

From its inception, the channel faced numerous technical problems, but Edwards’ confident and no-nonsense handling of difficult situations left a positive impression on BBC executives, according to testimonials.

Around the same time, Edwards was occasionally presenting BBC One’s 6pm bulletin, one of the most watched in the UK, becoming a main presenter in 1999.

Four years later he was promoted to the 10pm news, widely seen as the BBC’s main newscast, and he was increasingly in demand as a presenter and commentator in the main national events for the chain.

These included the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge -as they were known at the time- in 2011, the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral in 2021, the diamond and platinum jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II (2012 and 2022) and the coronation of King Carlos III in 2023.

He also reported live on the death of Nelson Mandela in 2013 and co-presented the results of the Brexit referendum in 2016.

But perhaps the most important moment in Edwards’ long career as a broadcaster came last September, when announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

She had started her shift early that day after rumors spread about the queen’s deteriorating health. He led non-stop news coverage from 2 p.m. before confirming the news to the nation later that night while wearing a black tie.

He then moved on to coverage of the late queen’s funeral. She received wide praise from viewers and the coverage earned Edwards and his peers a TRIC Awardawarded last month.

an astronomical salary

Edwards was for 20 years the visible face of the chain’s main newscast.

In addition to major royal events, Edwards had recently become the face of BBC election coverage.

The Welsh journalist was one of the top earners in the corporation. In 2017, the first year Parliament forced the network to publish the salaries of its star presenters, it was revealed that Edwards had earned £550,000 (about $714,000).

Following a flurry of criticism over the amount of money the BBC spent on its top talent and the disparity between some of its male and female stars, Edwards took a pay cut and six years later his salary stood at £435,000 (about $565,000). .

Edwards made a cameo appearance as himself in the film. skyfall from 2012 James Bond, presenting a BBC News report on a fictional attack on the British intelligence service MI6.

In an interview with BBC Radio Cymru in 2021, Edwards He confessed that it was possible that he did not have many years left as the main news anchor for the corporation due to the demands of the position.

“The nightly news business, after 20 years, can be exhausting, but I still enjoy the job,” he said.

“But I don’t think it will be for long. I think it’s only fair that viewers see a change,” he added.

Also in 2021 Edwards made a Welsh-language documentary about his career, in which confessed to having suffered bouts of depression for two decades that left him “bedridden.”

The scandal

His wife, Vicky Flind, revealed that he was the presenter at the center of the scandal. (MEDIUM PA).

In any case, after a distinguished career at the BBC, there are now serious doubts about Edwards’ reputation.

after friday the sun published allegations that an anonymous BBC presenter had paid large sums of money for explicit images of a young persondays of speculation passed as to who could be the one indicated.

The following days the sunand later BBC News, revealed further allegations, keeping the story in the spotlight of British news.

On Wednesday, finally, his wife, Vicky Flind, confirmed Edwards’ identity on his behalf, saying she did so “primarily out of concern for his mental well-being” and to protect their five children.

“Huw suffers from serious mental health problems,” he said. “The events of the last few days have made things much worse, he has suffered another serious episode and is now receiving hospital care where he will be staying for the foreseeable future.”

“When he’s well enough to do so, he intends to respond to the stories that have been published.”

Source: Elcomercio