Nandy grills BBC over its handling of Edwards crisis

BBC bosses have been put on notice by the new culture secretary Lisa Nandy regarding failures in dealing with disgraced presenter Huw Edwards.

- JANE DALTON DAVID MADDOX

Ms Nandy met with BBC executives last night to discuss “serious concerns” about the way the corporation handled the investigation into Edwards, alleged complaints and warnings made about him, and a £40,000 pay rise given to him while he was off work being investigated.

The former news presenter who also narrated major events like the late Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, has pleaded guilty to three counts of serious crimes involving indecent images of children.

With the current BBC charter set to end in December 2027 and talks about its renewal about to begin, it is understood that Ms Nandy made it clear that the saga has become a serious issue of public trust in the BBC.

Ms Nandy apparently wanted to know details of the BBC’s internal investigations into Edwards. She wanted to know details of what happened between April and November last year, when revelations about his conduct first came out and he was initially investigated.

Ms Nandy also wanted more details on the circumstances which led to that situation.

She also questioned the recent pay rise given to him while he was under investigation and the details of his pension with the corporation. The pay rise will have increased the value of his pension and Ms Nandy wants to know if any of that could be recovered.

Ms Nandy is also understood to be dissatisfied with the answers she received yesterday and has asked BBC director general Tim Davie and others to come back with better explanations for what happened and what further action can be taken.

It comes as the BBC has admitted bosses knew last year that Edwards had been arrested for child abuse image offences, but said police told them not to reveal the fact.