But now the nation is consumed by a crisis of his own, after he was named by his wife as the man at the centre of a BBC scandal. Media reports of a man spending £35,000 on explicit photographs from a young person, which first emerged on Friday, had led to a frenzy of speculation on social media.
In a statement his wife, Vicky Flind, said Edwards has been "suffering from serious mental health issues" - a struggle Edwards has often touched on over 20 years.
She said she revealed his identity "primarily out of concern for his mental wellbeing and to protect our children."
She added: "The events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters: he has suffered another serious episode and is now receiving inpatient hospital care where he'll stay for the foreseeable future."
After starting his career at the Swansea Sound radio station, Edwards enjoyed a dramatic rise after joining the BBC in 1984 as a trainee. He became parliamentary correspondent within two years, and reported on Westminster for over a decade.
He metamorphosed into one of the BBC's most beloved and respected presenters by fronting the channel's flagship news programmes, including the Six O'Clock News from 1999 to 2003 - during which period it became the most watched programme in the UK and subsequently O'Clock News.
Denne historien er fra July 13, 2023-utgaven av The Guardian.
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Denne historien er fra July 13, 2023-utgaven av The Guardian.
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