The BBC has formally ordered Hugh Edwards to return more than £200,000 in salary, following his arrest and guilty plea to charges relating to child abuse images.
The company’s board said Edwards had “acted in bad faith” by continuing to accept payments after his arrest, which occurred in November last year.
Edwards, a prominent presenter, was suspended in July 2023 after allegations emerged that he paid a minor for sexually explicit images. The situation escalated when South Wales Police uncovered 37 indecent images of children on a WhatsApp account linked to Edwards, including seven in the most serious category, Category A.
In a statement on Friday, the BBC’s board criticised Edwards for bringing the organisation into “disrepute” and undermining public confidence, saying that had Edwards disclosed his arrest at the time, he would not have continued to receive public funds.
BBC Director General Tim Davie, who confirmed last week that the corporation was aware of Edwards’ arrest for possessing the photographs, has received support from the board for his handling of the case. However, the move has sparked a wider debate about the culture within the BBC, particularly regarding power imbalances and staff protection.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy joined the BBC in calling for the money to be returned, stressing the importance of public trust in the corporation. She also welcomed an independent review into the organisation’s culture in the wake of the Edwards case, saying BBC staff should feel safe and confident that their concerns will be dealt with fairly and decisively.
The internal reaction at the BBC to the revelations has been one of outrage. BBC chairman Samir Shah expressed his dismay in a letter to staff, saying that Edwards had “betrayed the trust of our staff and our audiences in the most egregious way possible”. Shah described Edwards’ actions as “shocking” and acknowledged the challenges facing the corporation’s executives in dealing with this complex situation.
While the BBC’s demand to return Edwards’ salary is primarily a moral position, the corporation has not ruled out possible legal action to recover the money. The case also highlights the need for clearer protocols for suspending staff under investigation and managing their pay during such periods.
The fallout from this scandal is likely to have long-lasting effects on the BBC as it seeks to restore public confidence and ensure it adheres to the highest standards of behaviour within its ranks.