BBC will attempt to claw back pay from disgraced Edwards

The BBC's director-general, Tim Davie, has said the corporation will "look at all options" for recovering pay from the disgraced newsreader Huw Edwards.

- Eleni Courea

Davie said the corporation was exploring the possibility of legal action to claw back some of its payments to Edwards, who continued to be paid for five months after his arrest. He admitted this week to accessing indecent images of children.

Before he resigned in April citing medical issues, Edwards was paid between £475,000 and £479,999 a year, according to the BBC's latest annual report. He received a £40,000 pay rise in 2023-24. The public pays £169.50 a year for the BBC licence fee.

When asked about the 62-year-old keeping his pension, Davie told BBC News that the sums were "very difficult to claw back, nigh on impossible". He added: "When it comes to pay, again, [it is] legally challenging, but we'll look at all options."

Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, was in talks with BBC bosses last night as Keir Starmer said he was "shocked and appalled" by the scandal.