HUW EDWARDS wasn’t just another guy off television.
He was the presenter of the BBC’s News At Ten, our national broadcaster’s longest-serving anchor and a much-admired national treasure.
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He was there, on our screens, for every important occasion.
At a general election, a royal wedding or the late Queen’s funeral, Edwards guided us through them with his authoritative Welsh cadence.
Now that building has collapsed.
We now know that all this time, Huw Edwards was living a lie.
Far from being a happily married father of five and the nation’s trusted voice, he was, in reality, leading a dark secret life of perversion and sexual exploitation.
This week, Edwards pleaded guilty to knowingly receiving 41 illegal images and videos of underage boys in WhatsApp messages from a pedophile on his phone.
Now we know the truth about Huw Edwards.
But there are still many more questions that need to be answered by his long-time employer, the BBC, about what the bosses knew and when they knew it.
Because Edwards’ downfall didn’t come out of nowhere.
His fall from grace began a year ago when The Sun exposed an unnamed “top BBC star” for allegedly paying a vulnerable teenager £35,000 for sexually explicit photos of himself.
Since that report, which led to his own wife publicly naming Edwards while he was taking sick leave from work, other young people have come forward to reveal the BBC veteran’s worrying behavior towards them, such as pestering them for photos and sending inappropriate messages.
Former colleagues spoke of how he openly browsed a popular “connect” app in the open office they shared.
BBC bosses were quick to point out that by the time he was charged with a crime in June, Edwards had already left the BBC.
But he was kept on the payroll – on a whopping £480,000 salary – for many months after he was arrested.
And BBC bosses knew last November that Edwards had been arrested on suspicion of serious crimes.
He remained off air but on the payroll, and even received a £40,000 pay rise – all paid for by long-suffering license fee payers.
‘Cover up mistakes’
His guilty plea this week was not just a vindication by the mother of the vulnerable teenager allegedly paid by Edwards, who was ignored by the BBC when he begged them to detain him.
It is also a confirmation of the vital importance of a free press.
If it hadn’t been for The Sun breaking this story for the first time, his crimes may never have been exposed.
This week the Corporation claimed it was “shocked” by the details that emerged in court, but the real shock is how BBC management handled it.
No wonder Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy demanded a meeting with director-general Tim Davie.
Once again, the BBC faces accusations of using its power and influence to cover up the mistakes of another big star.
Because the BBC didn’t turn a blind eye to Huw Edwards’ behavior.
The list of BBC big names who have behaved badly – and even criminally – while the broadcaster stood by and looked the other way is alarmingly long.
Allegations that Jimmy Savile abused children had been known for years at the BBC before his death, but nothing was done to stop him.
Rolf Harris, a long-time BBC favorite, was found guilty years later of 11 counts of indecent assault, including attacks on young children.
It’s A Knockout presenter Stuart Hall has been jailed for indecently assaulting 13 girls.
Several BBC DJs have also faced accusations and allegations – with some cases still ongoing.
The BBC’s failures are not just linked to sexual abuse cases either.
There is also the handling of complaints against Martin Bashir, who was accused of lying to get his bombshell 1995 Panorama interview with Princess Diana.
A 2021 independent report concluded that the BBC knowingly covered up Bashir’s “deceptive behavior.”
Time and time again, the BBC has failed to act when bad behavior has been brought to its attention.
And repeatedly, the BBC has apparently sought to cover up wrongdoing by its biggest names.
The most famous stars become the Untouchables, who must be protected at all costs to save not only their good name but also the Corporation’s reputation.
Huw Edwards lost his job, his salary and his good name. He now faces sentencing for his crimes.
Meanwhile, BBC bosses must answer to us – the license fee payers – about why they didn’t act sooner.
And ultimately, the price for these crimes was paid not by a well-paid television star, but by the innocent children cruelly abused for their perverted pleasure.
FRIENDS of Prince Harry have claimed the King no longer answers his son’s phone calls or responds to his letters.
The Duke of Sussex and Charles last met in person in February – for just 45 minutes – when Harry flew to London following the king’s cancer diagnosis.
These mysterious “friends” tell us the tensions have to do with Harry’s legal battles over his personal safety while in the UK.
But why would Harry be surprised if his father was suspicious of private conversations becoming public when the prince revealed deeply personal exchanges with his family in his autobiography and in interviews in a bid to make money?
Meghan disowned her father after he spoke to the media without her permission.
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise to Harry if his own father is avoiding him when the king knows that anything he says or writes could just be fodder for his son’s next blockbuster memoir.
HURT AND ANGER IS NO SURPRISE
YOU would have to be made of stone not to have felt the anguish of the parents whose three daughters were stabbed to death – and the other children left fighting for their lives – in the knife attack in Southport this week.
Tears quickly turned to anger as hundreds of people joined violent protests in Southport, Hartlepool, Manchester and London to demand action.
Throwing bricks at the police solves nothing.
But it also won’t make you ignore and gaslight all the many millions of people who would never raise their fist but who are just as angry as those in the streets.
Who no longer believe that the law and the police are on their side.
Sometimes candlelight vigils and not looking back in anger aren’t enough.
Sometimes anger is absolutely the right response to heinous crimes.
The time has come for our politicians to take back control and make our streets safe again.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
