BBC demands Huw Edwards repay nearly year’s salary after ‘appalling’ crime

The BBC has asked Huw Edwards to repay his salary after he pleaded guilty to having indecent images of children.

The broadcaster is seeking the return of the disgraced anchor’s earnings since November when he was arrested and said his crimes had brought them into ‘disrepute.’

It previously admitted it knew of his arrest on ‘suspicion of serious offences’ but continued employing him until April, when he resigned on medical advice.

Edwards was the BBC’s highest-paid presenter and earned £475,000 and £479,999 from 2023 until 2024, a pay rise of £40,000 from the previous year due to ‘inflation.’ The amount he earned from November is around £200,000.

Today a statement from 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.

‘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.

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‘He has clearly undermined trust in the BBC and brought us into disrepute.’

The BBC also announced that the Board has commissioned an independent review to ‘make recommendations on practical steps that could strengthen a workplace culture in line with BBC Values.’

There had been calls for Edwards to repay his salary, including from the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.

The politician asked the BBC to look into whether it could recoup his earnings, telling Sky News: ‘I think he ought to return his salary.

‘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.

‘I think most people in the country will agree with that but whether he does that or not is up to him.’

She added: ‘I’ve asked the BBC to look at what’s possible.’

This Morning’s Josie Gibson previously said her ‘blood was boiling’ over Edwards’ pay.

The BBC is also reportedly editing and dubbing a 2006 Doctor Who episode featuring Edwards’ voice on a news report. It has already been removed from iPlayer.

A source told The Mirror: ‘It’s going to be hard for the BBC to airbrush Huw out of the news events he covered, but the Doctor Who episode should be straightforward.’ 

It has yet to be confirmed what will be happening to other footage and news coverage Edwards fronted, as well as an appearance on Would I Lie To You and a Christmas duet with Sir Tom Jones in 2013.

One insider told The Times, according to MailOnline: ‘The bulletins will be full of archive footage of him which is obviously awkward.

’There will have to be discussions about the archive but no one was expecting him to plead guilty today, so that key issue is not one that has been solved yet.’

Last month, the veteran broadcaster admitted having 41 child sex abuse images on WhatsApp, including seven of the most serious type.

In court, Edwards pleaded guilty to three offences of making indecent images of children between December 2020 and April 2021.

The child abuse materials that were sent to Edwards by 25-year-old convicted paedophile Alex Williams included seven category A, the worst, 12 category B, and 22 category C.

Of the category A images, the estimated age of most of the children was between 13 and 15, but one was aged between seven and nine, the court was told.

Edwards was bailed after pleading guilty on Wednesday and will next appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on September 16.

Metro.co.uk has contacted Edwards’ lawyer for comment.

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