Disgraced former BBC news anchor Huw Edwards has been urged to return the hundreds of thousands of pounds he received in salary while under arrest for making indecent images of children.
Edwards, previously the BBC’s senior news presenter who fronted events including The Queen’s funeral in 2022, was convicted in July 2024. He had been suspended from the BBC in July 2023 pending investigation and arrested four months later. He didn’t resign from the Corporation until April 2024, and the following July pleaded guilty to the charges.
During his time while still officially an employee but not working, Edwards pocketed £200,000 (USD$266,000) in salary and it is this money the BBC now wants back.
Saturday BBC chairman Samir Shah made a public plea that Edwards hand back the money. He told Times Radio:
“If Huw is listening to this: Give it back Huw, just give it back. Really, just give it back. You know you should and you should do it.
“We’ve been asking him and asking him and asking him … we’re getting legal advice on it.”
The BBC – which has faced widespread criticism for its handling of the Edwards debacle – has long explained that its hands were tied. Edwards was still an employee when he was signed off from work with mental health issues, and BBC protocols meant that his salary was protected during that period.
The broadcaster has also faced challenges editing Edwards out of popular programmes like Doctor Who, and many live events broadcast by the BBC over the past 20 years.
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