Huw Edwards is facing growing pressure to return his salary to the BBC after pleading guilty this week to accessing indecent images of children.
Lisa Nandy, the UK culture secretary, said the former newsreader should hand back around £200,000 ($255,000) of his pay to the BBC following his dramatic fall from grace.
Edwards was arrested in November 2023 but remained on the BBC payroll until his resignation in April 2024. He was suspended during this period.
“I think he ought to return his salary,” Nandy told Sky News. “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.”
In an interview with BBC News on Thursday, BBC director general Tim Davie said the corporation had not ruled out efforts to claw back Edwards’ pay. He said it would be “very difficult” but “we’ll look at all options.”
Nandy and Davie spoke on Thursday, with the culture secretary revealing that the BBC had been “very forthcoming” about its handling of Edwards.
Nandy said: “My concern is to make sure that not only are we getting the decision right in this case but we’re futureproofing the BBC so that when people come forward with concerns, when decisions like this have to be made we’re open and transparent and we’re fair and we use taxpayers money appropriately.”