ReutersThe director general of the BBC has defended its decision not to spoil Huw Edwards, despite learning that the presenter was arrested in November for the most serious category of indecent images of children.
In an interview with BBC News on Thursday, Tim Davie said the company had taken “difficult decisions in a fair and sensible way”.
Asked about the number of BBC managers told in November, he said: “We know it’s serious, we don’t know the specifics, other than the category of potential offence.”
Meanwhile, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy raised a number of concerns with the BBC about its handling of internal investigations, including the use of license fee payers’ money, a department spokeswoman said.
Edwards, formerly the BBC’s top newsreader, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to three counts of making indecent images of children.
Although the BBC was aware of the seriousness of the alleged offences, Mr Davie said police had not disclosed details about the company.
BBC bosses did not know the ages of the children in the pictures.
When the allegations finally came to light earlier this week, Mr Davie said: “We are in shock. Nobody knows the specifics of what we have heard over the last few days, which has been very disturbing.”
Asked by the BBC’s David Sillito why Edwards could not be fired while in custody, Mr Davie replied: “Because the police came and said they had to do their job in confidence, (and said), ‘please. this is confidential.’
Edwards had not been charged at the time and could still be released, Mr Davie said.
“We thought long and hard about this. It’s not a decision we can’t make. If you think about the precedent, people go to jail, and then we have a situation where there are no charges, and nothing. There’s something to follow up on.” “
He said the company should also consider its duty to care for Edwards.
“When it came to the decision we made in November, we were always faced with a difficult decision, and we considered it very carefully,” Mr Davie said.
“The police … want to be sure with total confidence, and the reason they called us at that time, it’s a technical process to ensure employees are protected and not at risk.”
He added: “The other factor at this point is that the duty of care is very important. I think it is right that we will let the police do their business, and when there are allegations, we will take action.
Pay up
Edwards received a £40,000 pay rise in the last financial year, despite not being on the air for most of it.
The director general said the salary increase started from before the allegations.
“There is a (small) inflationary increase, which is standard, but it is about the big salary increase that you see in the annual report, which is related to his work at the BBC, beyond the scope of his work at the BBC, and which is related to February (2023), before there is accusation.
Asked if Edwards would still receive his pension, Mr Davie said it would be “very difficult to resign, almost impossible”, adding: “It’s unfortunately specific to how it works.
“When paying, again, (it’s) a legitimate challenge (to recover), but we will look at all options.”
Mr Davie was also challenged on the BBC’s investigation into Edwards, which has not yet been published.
The director general said the BBC “didn’t sit on anything that I thought should be shared with the police, or that was of a serious nature that would make me feel that we weren’t following up properly”.
He continued: “I can say that when it comes to the violations that we have seen, which are absolutely appalling, any evidence that is out there is not in the hands of the BBC. When I look at the evidence, it is not a complicated decision (to hand it over).
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that they had informed the BBC in “the strictest confidence” of Edwards’ arrest on November 8.
“Common law police disclosure (CLPD) is an established legal mechanism whereby the police can provide information to individual employers when they are arrested or charged with an offence,” a Met spokesman said.
“This is often used where the individual has a position of trust/responsibility with the community.
“The information is provided in the strictest of confidence so that employers can consider the necessary risk mitigation measures.”
On Thursday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “shocked and appalled” by the allegations against Edwards.
Later, a spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media & Sport said Culture Secretary Ms Nandy was appalled by Edwards’ “disgusting behaviour”.
The statement continued: “The Secretary of State has spoken to the BBC to raise concerns about a number of matters regarding the handling of his own investigation into Huw Edwards, what safeguards and processes are in place in this case, and also what further action can be taken, particularly in relation to the handling of taxpayers’ money.” license fee.”
Ms. Nandy said she was concerned that the incident could damage public confidence and asked to keep updating the progress.
Edwards admitted to having 41 indecent images of children, which were sent to him by convicted pedophile, Alex Williams, on WhatsApp.
They include seven category A images, the most serious classification – two of which show children aged seven and nine.
After his arrest last November, Edwards was charged in June. He has been off the air since July 2023, when he was suspended after being named a star amid different allegations involving explicit photos.
Edwards resigned this April, on what the BBC said at the time was “on medical advice”.
In a statement on Wednesday, the BBC said he would be sacked if charged while still employed.
Asked if any figures at BBC News were aware of the allegations earlier this week, Mr Davie confirmed that CEO Deborah Turness was aware.
It is a “small group of people in the middle” and “we have a limited list of names”, he said.
“When it comes to news, there is one name, the CEO of the news, Deborah Turness. He does not participate editorially in the reporting of the story.”
Apart from Ms Turness, BBC News was not aware of any arrests or charges against Edwards until it was announced on Monday. BBC News is editorially independent when reporting on the BBC.
