BBC Requests Huw Edwards to Repay Salary Received Since Sex-Offense Arrest

Britain’s BBC has called for Huw Edwards, its former star news anchor, to return the salary he received post-arrest. Edwards admitted to making indecent images of children last month. The broadcaster disclosed that he had not been forthright about the charges against him.

Edwards, previously the highest-paid journalist at BBC, earned an annual salary of up to 479,999 pounds ($611,758) before stepping down in April. He ceased appearing on-screen since July last year due to accusations of paying a young person for sexually explicit photographs, although these allegations were unrelated to the criminal charges he faced.

The BBC, funded by television viewers’ fees, said its board had authorized management to request the return of about 200,000 pounds in salary paid to Edwards between his arrest and resignation.

“Edwards pleaded guilty to an appalling crime,” the board said. “Had he been upfront when questioned by the BBC about his arrest, we would never have continued to pay him public money. He has clearly undermined trust in the BBC and brought us into disrepute.”

Previously, the BBC acknowledged it was aware of Edwards’ arrest but did not comprehend the severity of the charges. The board extended its support to BBC management for its handling of the situation based on the information available at the time. Additionally, the board announced plans to commission an independent review aimed at fortifying workplace culture.

While Edwards’ charges pertain to his personal life, the incident also brings to light issues of power imbalance within the workplace. The government has expressed approval of the decision to initiate a review.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy stated, “The BBC is a hugely valued and important player in the public service broadcasting landscape that reaches millions every day and it is vital that the public has complete trust and faith in the organization and in how it is run. BBC staff must be able to feel safe in the workplace and be confident that if non-editorial complaints are raised they will be acted upon and dealt with fairly and decisively.”

($1 = 0.7846 pounds)

Source: Reuters