Ex-BBC Presenter Admits to Making Child Pornography

Huw Edwards, the former star news anchor of the BBC, has pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent pictures of children. During a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London, the 62-year-old admitted to receiving 41 indecent images via WhatsApp between December 2020 and August 2021. Edwards, who was the BBC's highest-paid journalist, faces a potential maximum prison sentence of 10 years, with a minimum of 12 months. Judge Paul Goldspring announced that sentencing for Edwards will take place on September 16, indicating that “all options,” including an immediate prison term, will be considered. Prosecutor Ian Hope revealed that Edwards had received a total of 377 sexually explicit images from an adult male, with 41 classified as indecent images of children. Among these, seven were deemed to be of the most serious nature, including two pornographic videos featuring a child possibly aged between seven and nine years. Edwards's lawyer, Philip Evans, clarified that the charges pertain solely to images sent to Edwards via WhatsApp, asserting that there is no evidence suggesting that Edwards created or physically made any images. The former presenter resigned from the BBC in April on “medical advice,” following his arrest related to allegations of paying a young person for sexually explicit photos. Edwards, a prominent figure in British broadcasting for over two decades, is known for significant events such as announcing the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. He made no comments as he exited the court building.