BBC News' Huw Edwards reveals how he reconciled with his absent father before his death

Disgraced BBC News presenter Huw Edwards has previously opened up about his complex relationship with his famous father, Hywel Teifi Edwards, during a candid documentary.

Hywel Teifi Edwards was a renowned Welsh academic, historian and politician who had a deep passion for Wales and the Welsh language.

He ran for Plaid Cymru seats twice - first at the 1983 general election for Llanelli and then again for Carmarthen four years later. He also served on Dyfed County Council for 14 years.

In the S4C documentary 'Huw Edwards yn 60', which marked his 60th birthday, the former news anchor reflected on his upbringing, career and relationship with his father.

"The fact that he wasn't home that often was a challenge for mam," the ex-journalist from Llangennech admitted, reports Wales Online.

"He was always out lecturing all the time, doing evening classes and so on. We weren't that close to be honest - not like me and mam, because dad wasn't that present when I was growing up."

"He could be quite sharp. I laugh when people tell me that dad was full of humour and that he always had a smile on his face. I often think - what, do you live on the same planet as me? ".

"Yes, he could be very witty and he could laugh. He could be very sharp-tongued at times and if you were on the receiving end of that, it wasn't very fun."

However, according to Huw's sister, Meinir, she believes that their relationship helped shape the presenter's future prospects.

"Huw and dad were very similar in a lot of ways," she revealed.

"They could capture the audience's attention with just a couple of words. But they wouldn't always get on and I think that was to a degree due to the fact that they were so similar. Both of them were extremely passionate about what they did."

"I remember me and mam would sit next to the dinner table year over the years and the two of them would start lecturing at one and other. We would start thinking - here we go again, another lecture over Sunday dinner! ".

"But looking back, I think for Huw that was some sort of practice, even though we didn't know at the time. The fact that he had to immerse himself into a very intense discussion, you had to listen to what dad had to say and be ready to respond and demonstrate that you had understood what he had said."

Despite their differences, Huw also acknowledged that his father supported him in his career as a journalist.

"I know to this day that there are some people that think I have done the wrong decision in my career by working in London and for a 'British' broadcasting body, and that that is a bad thing," Huw admitted.

"My parents used to say that the fact that I was a Welsh-speaker and I was doing the job millions of other English people wanted to do but were depending on me to do that."

"Dad would always say that that was a victory and that was good enough. He would always say that the fact an English establishment were relying on me - a Welsh-speaker, to navigate some of the biggest reports of the world was something to be proud of."

Hywel Teifi Edwards passed away in January 2010. During the programme, Huw revisited Capel Aberarth in Ceredigion, the site of his father's funeral.

"I was a lot closer to him towards the end than I ever was before," Huw confessed. "I was so proud that happened. If you ever consider reconciling with your children, please do and don't leave it too late - that's the lesson I think."

The former news anchor arrived at court today after admitting to having 41 indecent pictures of children. It was later confirmed that Edwards had been spared jail and given six-month suspended prison sentence.

The Welsh journalist entered a guilty plea when he attended Westminster Magistrates' Court on July 31 after being charged with making indecent images of children.

The court heard that between December 2020 and August 2021, Edwards had been involved in an online chat with an adult man via WhatsApp, who sent him 377 sexual images, 41 of which were indecent images of children.

The court heard that between December 2020 and August 2021, Edwards had been involved in an online chat with an adult man via WhatsApp, who sent him 377 sexual images, 41 of which were indecent images of children.