On Air Now

This is the Coast

Midnight - 6:00am

  • 01723 336444

Now Playing

Rose Royce

Wishing On A Star

Download

Huw Edwards says he may not have been prosecuted if he wasn't famous

Disgraced BBC presenter Huw Edwards has taken to an online platform to argue that if we wasn't a "highly visible" public figure, he may not have faced criminal charges.

Edwards, 65, admitted a charge of "making" indecent images of children and having 41 photographs on WhatsApp, including seven of the most serious type.

He was handed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, in September 2024.

In his latest Substack post, Edwards started by saying: "Today is the day. Two years have gone by since my sentencing at Westminster Magistrates' Court."

Edwards noted the sentence handed down by the chief magistrate was six months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, adding that his period of rehabilitation is "officially over".

He said in the post that 1,000 men are arrested every month in the UK in relation to accessing indecent images.

"It is not surprising that individuals are hardly ever singled out for attention by the press," he added.

Read more from Sky News:
New breast cancer drug now on NHS
Stadium owner responds to Ed Sheeran row

Edwards continued: "I was never involved in online forums, and a forensic examination of my internet history showed that I had never searched for any of this vile material.

"Indeed, had I not been such a highly visible public figure, I might not have faced any criminal charges.

"That is not my view, I stress - it is the opinion of some of London's most experienced lawyers, and of former Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) staff who have made contact with me privately over the past two years."

Edwards was best known for presenting the BBC's News At Ten for decades, delivering some of the biggest stories to the public, including Queen Elizabeth II's death in 2022.

In July 2023, a report by The Sun alleged that a "top BBC star" had paid a teenager for sexual pictures, and days later his wife named him as the presenter at the centre of the scandal.

During sentencing, Judge Paul Goldspring said he believed Edwards's remorse was genuine and his mental health could have impaired his decision-making.

Edwards resigned in April 2024 and was charged in June 2024 after a Metropolitan Police investigation.

Sky News

(c) Sky News 2026: Huw Edwards says he may not have been prosecuted if he wasn't famous

Want to See More from This is the Coast?

Click here to set This is the Coast as a preferred source on Google search.

Love living on the Yorkshire Coast? So do we.

This is the Coast is 100% locally owned and operated. We don’t rely on public funding or government grants—we rely on our community.

Producing trusted, fact-checked local news takes time and resources. If you value having a dedicated team of professional journalists fighting for our region, please consider supporting us.

Help keep the Yorkshire Coast informed for the price of a coffee a month.

Support Local Journalism Today

More from National News

Follow Us

Get Our Apps

Our Apps are now available for iOS, Android and Smart Speakers.

  • Available on the App Store
  • Available on Google Play
  • Just ask Amazon Alexa
  • Available on Roku

Today's Weather

  • Scarborough

    Light rain

    High: 18°C | Low: 15°C

  • Filey

    Light rain

    High: 18°C | Low: 15°C

  • Whitby

    Light rain

    High: 17°C | Low: 14°C

  • Bridlington

    Light rain

    High: 18°C | Low: 15°C

  • Hornsea

    Light rain

    High: 18°C | Low: 15°C

  • Driffield

    Light rain

    High: 18°C | Low: 15°C

News