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The Story

Huw Edwards, the BBC, The Sun and the media storm

The Story

The Times

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3.91.6K Ratings

🗓️ 14 July 2023

⏱️ 32 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On Wednesday evening, five days after allegations were first published, Huw Edwards was named by his wife as the BBC presenter accused of paying £35,000 to a young person for sexually explicit photographs. As further allegations emerge, the Metropolitan Police says it has found no evidence of a criminal offence and Edwards is receiving in-patient hospital care for his mental health after a “serious episode.” So how did the week unfold? And where does it leave the debate over public interest, privacy and duty of care?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. 

Host: Manveen Rana.

Guests:

  • Alex Farber, Media Correspondent, The Times.
  • Pia Sarma, Editorial Legal Director, Times Media.

Producer: Olivia Case.

Clips: Sky, Channel 4, Reuters, BBC, Andrew Gold, TalkTV, Channel 5, Sky.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.


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Transcript

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0:00.0

Over the past week, the story of one BBC presenter who normally reads the headlines has

0:11.0

instead dominated them.

0:13.6

An anonymous BBC personality alleged to have paid a teenager for explicit photos.

0:19.4

There is an ongoing investigation internally to establish the fact.

0:23.0

Now in contact with the police, the BBC accept they first became aware of a complaint in

0:27.8

May.

0:28.8

Sensational plot twist as the lawyer of the young person who released this letter, nothing

0:33.4

inappropriate or unlawful has taken place and the allegations reported in the Sun newspaper

0:38.7

are rubbish.

0:39.7

BBC News said it had been contacted by a second young person who said they have been

0:44.8

approached by the presenter on a dating app.

0:47.4

To my knowledge, it's four people have spoken out.

0:51.0

This is the same presenter being accused by numerous people.

0:55.6

He's not been named, but everyone in this building.

0:59.6

And then, on Wednesday evening, as the six o'clock news was going on air, there was

1:05.2

another bombshell.

1:07.5

This will come as a huge shock to viewers.

1:10.5

We've had a statement within the last few minutes from Vicky Flynn, who is the wife of

1:14.2

Hugh Edwards, who named him as the BBC presenter facing allegations.

1:23.0

After a fraught week of rumours and allegations, what do we now know about what really happened?

1:30.6

And where does it leave the Sun, the BBC and the very real people caught up in the storm?

1:37.2

In a statement, his wife Vicky Flynn said her husband was an I quote, suffering from serious

...

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