BBC boss defends organisation paying Edwards despite 'wrestling' with decision (original) (raw)

The decision to continue to pay Huw Edwards while investigations into his behaviour were carried out have been defended by BBC boss Tim Davie

Tim Davie defended the initial decision to continue paying Huw Edwards

BBC boss Tim Davie has defended the organisation's decision to continue to pay disgraced presenter Huw Edwards after allegations were first made against him.

The former BBC News at 10 anchor has been given a six months prison sentence suspended for two years after admitting to having child abuse images on his phone. Earlier this week a court heard how the 63-year-old had made a sickening phone call with paedophile Alex Williams, and also reports told how the once revered presenter said the child abuse images he received were "amazing".

Despite evidence against him after the claims first came to light in July 2023, Edwards still received his wage until he resigned nine months later in April of this year. The organisation faced a backlash after the public discovered he was still being paid during his time off camera.

Huw Edwards received a six months suspended sentence (

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WireImage)

However, Davie told BBC journalist Amol Rajan at the Royal Television Society conference in London on Tuesday morning he defended the initial decision. He said: "We wrestled with it. It was an extremely tough decision. I think it was the right decision based on the current policy, we acted totally in good faith…I think you reflect on things, you always look at learnings." Now, though, he hinted he thinks Edwards would be correct in returning the paid salary, as the BBC has requested. "There’s discussions between legal teams but that’s as far as we can go at this point,” Davie added.

A number of other people have also urged him to pay back the £200,000 salary he had received. Among them was culture secretary Lisa Nandy. Last month, prior to his sentencing she said: " "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." She added: "I think most people in the country will agree with that but whether he does that or not is up to him. I’ve asked the BBC to look at what’s possible."

As well as being spared immediate jail time, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring also declined to make Edwards the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order during the hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court. He said he "did not pose a risk to the public", but that Edwards would be on the Sexual Offenders' Register for seven years.

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