The downfall of former BBC news anchor Huw Edwards represents one of the starkest falls from grace for any figure in modern British history.
Once the corporation’s most recognisable figure who led its flagship News at Ten programme through countless major news events, his conviction for child pornography has prompted a reexamination of his career and coverage.
Having pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, leaving a four-decade career in tatters and the prospect of a 10-year sentence in front of him, here The Independent charts the rise and astonishing fall of Britain’s most notorious journalist.
2003: Edwards given News at Ten gig
After a stellar career as an on-screen journalist beginning in 1984 as a trainee, Edwards is made News at Ten anchor – the BBC’s flagship news programme. During this period he will lead coverage of several elections, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the deaths of major public figures, the London 2012 Olympics and a number of terror attacks on British shores. A constant figure through times of joy and turmoil, Edwards is taken to the nation’s heart.
2020: Edwards’ exchange with the 17-year-old takes place
‘Sleazy’ messages are alleged to have begun between Edwards and a 17-year-old boy, first reported in The Sun.
December 2020 to August 2021: Deluge of indecent images
During an eight-month period, Edwards is secretly sent a total of 377 sexual images, of which 41 are indecent images of children.
December 2020 – February 2021: A mystery two-month period
The bulk of explicit category A, B, and C images are alleged to have been sent to Edward’s phone by a convicted paedophile Alex Williams, 25, via WhatsApp, according to a court hearing in July 2024.
February 2021: Edwards questioned whether pictures were too ‘young’
In February 2021, convicted paedophile Williams asks Edwards whether the pictures he is sending on WhatsApp are too young, which prompts the BBC broadcaster to ask him not to forward anything illegal.
In another set of allegations, Edwards is accused of breaking lockdown rules to meet a 23-year-old while in lockdown, according to The Sun. The report alleges the presenter travelled from London to another county to meet up at the 23-year-old’s flat after claims they met on a dating website – Edwards is accused of giving that person over £600 across three payments.
17 April 2021: Edwards fronts BBC coverage of Prince Philip’s funeral
The news anchor fronts coverage of Prince Philip’s funeral, while he continues his communication with the man behind closed doors.
August 2021: Video sent of ‘young’ boy
Edward is sent a video featuring a boy who was “of younger age than virtually all of the other indecent images”.
The man tells Edwards the boy was quite young-looking, and that he had more images, which were illegal. A court is later told Edwards asked him not to send any illegal images.
April 2022: Porn images continue but illegal explicit images cease
No more of these pictures or videos are sent but the pair continue to exchange legal pornographic images until April 2022.
8 September 2022: Edwards anchors televised broadcast of Queen Elizabeth II death
Edwards announces the news of Queen Elizabeth’s II death on BBC broadcast.
April 2023: Parents of 17-year-old contact South Wales Police
The 17-year-old’s parents make contact with South Wales Police. The force discloses that the information related to “the welfare of an adult”, and that “no criminality was identified”.
18 May 2023: Family member of 17-year-old makes direct contact with BBC
A family member goes directly to a BBC building to make a complaint about the behaviour of a BBC presenter, according to the corporation.
19 May 2023: Family member begs Edwards to ‘stop sending the cash’
More family complaints to the BBC about Edwards’ behaviour and with one figure begging the corporation to make the man “stop sending the cash”, as reported in The Sun.
The family member phone for half an hour before being referred to the BBC’s corporate investigations team. At this stage, the BBC feel the allegations are not criminal but warrant further investigation.
Tim Davie claims the allegation “was very serious”, thus the investigations unit report to have emailed the complainant for further information to verify the claims to confirm the identity of the complainant.
6 June 2023: A lack of response leads to a ‘lull’ in the investigation
The corporate investigations department claims no response was received. However, The Sun later reports that “the family say no-one from the corporation rang them for a proper interview after the initial complaint”.
No further contact attempts are made, but the case “remains open” according to BBC.
6 July 2023: The Sun presents fresh allegations to BBC and Edwards’ goes off air
The Sun tells the BBC via the corporate press office about allegations concerning Edwards, some of which the BBC say are new and unlike the ones received by the family through the investigations team. This is the first time Mr Davie or any executives are made aware of the case, say the BBC.
On this day, a BBC incident management group is created as Edwards first learns of the allegations.
The BBC pulls him off air while the allegations are investigated.
7 July 2023:The Sun breaks the story
The Sun breaks the story on Edwards’ stating: “The well-known presenter is accused of giving the teen more than £35,000 since they were 17 in return for sordid images”.
8 July 2023: More material from family and BBC celebrities deny involvement
The BBC receives further material regarding the 17-year-old and speculation erupts online.
BBC presenters including Gary Lineker, Jeremy Vine, Rylan Clark, and Nicky Campbell deny involvement in an attempt to publicly clear their names.
9 July 2023: BBC suspends ‘male staff member’
The BBC suspends a male staff member and works “as quickly as possible” to work through the facts and figure out a plan.
Edwards’ is alleged to have made calls to the 17-year-old asking “what have you done”, and appeals to the mother to halt the investigation, says The Sun.
10 July 2023: Delays, more delays…
BBC Met detectives representatives and Met’s Specialist Crime Command meet but agree “no investigation at this time”.
The young person’s lawyer claims “the allegations reported in the Sun newspaper are rubbish” and their letter includes the young person’s denial. They claim The Sun disregarded this.
The Sun responded by saying it had “reported a story about two very concerned parents who made a complaint to the BBC about the behaviour of a presenter and the welfare of their child”. The parents stick by their accounts, the newspaper reaffirms.
11 July 2023: Davies gives press conference and the Instagram chat surfaces
Davies accepts there were “lessons to be learned following this exercise” and an assessment of protocol is needed.
Fresh allegations emerged that afternoon of another young person who had felt threatened by a message from the presenter.
The Sun first alleges that the presenter broke lockdown to meet the 23-year-old, who he had met on a dating site.
It also publishes an Instagram chat between the presenter and the alleged 17-year-old, in which Edwards sent messages including heart emojis.
12 July 2023: Detectives write off the case and Edward’s wife names him at the centre
Detectives conclude no criminal offence has been committed and Edwards’ wife Vicky Flind names him as the centre of the scandal.
She claims it was “primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children”.
This is the first the public hear of Edwards “suffering from serious mental health issues” after previously suffering from depression which had resulted in him needing in-patient hospital care.
The BBC reports fresh allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Edwards towards junior staff. One former member of staff and two current workers claim to have received uncomfortable messages.
November 2023: Huw Edwards is arrested
He is hit with three charges, covering the period from December 2020 to April 2022, over Whatsapp images shared by Williams.
Six of the indecent images Edwards is accused of making are Category A – the worst type – 12 Category B and 19 Category C.
March 15 2024: Police identify Alex Williams for the first time
The man responsible for sharing the indecent images of children with Edwards is unmasked s 25-year-old convicted paedophile Alex Williams, the Met police said.
The force say Williams pleaded guilty to possession and distribution of the images and he was sentenced to a suspended 12-month jail sentence at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on 15 March.
Police reveal the investigation into Edwards began after a phone seized by officers as part of an unrelated probe revealed the broadcaster’s participation in a WhatsApp conversation.
22 Apr 2024 – TV news presenter Huw Edwards resigns from BBC
The presenter resigns from the BBC shortly after Williams’ arrest on “medical advice”.
26 June 2024: Edwards charged
Following his arrest in November, Edwards is eventually charged – some eight months later.
29 July 2024: BBC informed of the allegations
Though charged on 26 June, this information is not published by the Met or the Crown Prosecution yet. The charges are only revealed after The Sun contacts the Met and CPS. BBC bosses claim to have been “blindsided” by the news of the charges.
31 July 2024: The disgraced presenter delivers his guilty plea
The 62-year-old admits the offences at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
The court reveals his communication with a man online who sent him 377 sexual images, 41 being of an indecent nature involving children.
Edwards held an indecent image of a child as young as seven on his phone, the court is told.
1 August 2024: Police told BBC not to share details of Huw Edwards’ 2023 arrest
A BBC source confirms that police said information about Edward’s arrest was strictly confidential and not to be shared.
September 16 2024: Edwards faces a sentence of up to ten years in prison
Edwards’ was granted bail but will be sentenced at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 16 September.