The scandal dominated Britain’s news bulletins and newspapers last year. (file)
London:
Veteran news anchor Hugh Edwards resigned from the BBC on Monday on “medical advice”, the broadcaster said, nine months after he was embroiled in a sexually explicit images scandal involving a teenager.
Edwards, 62, had been the BBC’s main presenter at major events such as the death and funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, but was suspended in July 2023 when the allegations first emerged.
“Huw Edwards has today resigned and left the BBC,” the broadcaster said in a statement.
“After 40 years of service, Hu has stated that his decision was made based on the medical advice of his doctors.
“The BBC has accepted his resignation, which it believes will allow all parties to move forward. We do not consider it appropriate to comment further.”
Earlier this year the BBC apologized to the family of a man the broadcaster said Edwards had paid for indecent images of a minor.
As the allegations became front-page news last July, Edwards’ wife, Vicki Flind, said the father of five was “suffering from severe mental health issues” and had been hospitalized.
The man’s family complained about Edwards to the BBC in May 2023.
But it was only two months later, when The Sun tabloid was set to publish a story detailing the allegations, that senior leaders were informed of the issue, according to a report to the commission by the broadcaster.
The family said the man, a teenager when he worked with Edwards, used the money to fuel his addiction to crack cocaine.
However, the man, whose identity has never been released, dismissed the allegations as “rubbish”.
Edwards himself has not commented publicly.
Police have said they have found no evidence that a criminal offense was committed.
The scandal dominated Britain’s news bulletins and newspapers last year.
The BBC’s public brand is built on public trust but the broadcaster has been rocked by scandals in recent years in which some big names were exposed as serial sex offenders.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
