K.J. Yossman The BBC staffer accused of paying a teenager for sexually explicit photographs has been named as Huw Edwards, one of the network’s top anchors.
The equivalent of NBC’s Brian Williams (before he was fired for embellishing an Iraq war story), Edwards is one of the most senior on-air figures at the corporation and was the anchor chosen to break news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death to the world last September.
He is the fourth highest paid figure at the BBC. Edwards’ wife, Vicky Flind, issued a statement on the anchor’s behalf saying Edwards is suffering “serious mental health issues” and has been hospitalized. “As is well documented, he has been treated for severe depression in recent years,” she said. “The events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters.” Last weekend, U.K.
tabloid The Sun broke the news that an unnamed anchor — whom they described as a “well-known presenter” — had been taken off air while the the BBC investigated allegations he had paid a teenager over £35,000 ($44,500) in exchange for explicit photographs since they were 17.
Read more on variety.com