Ex-BBC presenter Huw Edwards charged with making indecent images of children
Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has been charged with making indecent images of children.
Huw Edwards charged with making indecent images of children
Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has been charged with making indecent images of children which were shared on his phone.
The 62-year-old, who resigned from the BBC after 40 years in April, faces three charges over alleged activity between December 2020 and April 2022. Police have said the offences are linked to images shared on WhatsApp.
The veteran broadcaster was arrested in November 2023 and charged on June 26. He will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday morning (July 31).
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Huw Edwards, 62, of Southwark, London has been charged with three counts of making indecent images of children following a Met Police investigation.
"The offences, which are alleged to have taken place between December 2020 and April 2022, relate to images shared on a WhatsApp chat.
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"Edwards was arrested on 8 November 2023. He was charged on Wednesday, 26 June following authorisation from the Crown Prosecution Service. He has been bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 31 July. Media and the public are strongly reminded that this is an active case."
Ministry of Justice guidelines state that the definition of a "child" is anyone under 18. If found guilty, he could receive a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment. After more than four decades working for the BBC, the broadcaster released a statement announcing Edwards' departure.
It said: "After 40 years of service, Huw has explained that his decision was made on the basis of medical advice from his doctors. The BBC has accepted his resignation which it believes will allow all parties to move forward. We don't believe it appropriate to comment further."
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The married dad-of-five had been off the channel since July 2023 following reports claiming he had paid a young person for sexually explicit images.
He was the BBC's flagship presenter before his suspension. Edwards led the coverage of several royal events during his time on the BBC, including the Queen's funeral in 2022 and the King's Coronation the following year.
Last week, Edwards was named as one of the BBC's highest-paid employees in its annual salary report. The list, published on Tuesday (July 23), placed the former newsreader as the third top earner behind Gary Lineker and Zoe Ball.
The report states that Edwards was paid at least £475,000 between 2023 and 2024, despite being taken off-air. This is a substantial increase from his previous salary, which was listed in 2022-23 as between £435,000 and £439,999.
