Let’s dive straight in by quoting from some mainstream outlets.

Via The Guardian (31st July 2024):

How the Huw Edwards scandal might affect the BBC’s reputation

As it faces accusations of being caught out, corporation has decisions to take on pay and use of archive footage.

Mark Sweney

Wed 31 Jul 2024 17.14 BST

The former BBC presenter Huw Edwards’ guilty plea to charges of making indecent images of children has sent the corporation into damage limitation mode, raising questions about management’s handling of the scandal and the impact on its reputation.

“The BBC is shocked to hear the details which have emerged in court today,” said a spokesperson for the corporation. “There can be no place for such abhorrent behaviour and our thoughts are with all those affected.”

The 62-year-old, the face of the BBC’s coverage of national events including the funeral of the late queen and the coronation of King Charles and a main presenter on BBC One’s News at Ten, admitted to having 41 indecent images of children that had been sent to him at his request by another man on WhatsApp.

They included seven category A images, the most serious, showing abuse including penetrative sexual activity, two of which showed a child aged between about seven and nine.

Edwards, who is facing a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and will be sentenced on 16 September, was the BBC’s highest-paid newsreader, pocketing between £475,000 and £479,000 in the year to 31 March.

He continued to be paid, including receiving a £40,000 pay rise, despite not working for most of that time, having been suspended by the BBC since last July.

It is just unreal. Edwards continued to get paid the whole time throughout his suspension. With British taxpayer money. Should the British Broadcasting Corporation be renamed as the ‘Paedophile Broadcasting Corporation’ aka PBC?

It is sick.

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