'He knew what he had done ..but he still took licence fee money'

BBC demands sick Huw's wage back

- TOM BRYANT

THE BBC yesterday branded Huw Edwards a villain who continued to take a publicly funded wage despite his sick fondness for viewing sexual images of children.

Bosses have demanded the disgraced veteran newsreader hand back the £200,000 he received between his arrest on November 8 and eventual resignation on April 22.

Edwards, 62, was one of the highest-paid stars at the BBC, on a salary of up to £439,999.

But on July 31 his career was finished after he admitted making indecent images of children.

A source said: "Edwards has a moral duty to give the money back. Whether he does or not remains to be seen." BBC chairman Samir Shah told how it was "a shock to discover Huw Edwards was living a double life".

In an email to staff yesterday, he added: "Let me be clear, the villain of this piece is Huw Edwards.