EXCLUSIVE: BBC erupts into civil war over Huw Edwards Newsnight probe: Insiders reveal ‘boiling fury’ at ‘aggressive’ report on further claims against star – as it’s revealed investigations started BEFORE bombshell sex pics complaint
- Insider said Newsnight report felt ‘really aggressive and uncalled for’
- The source said there was ‘lots of anger’ internally at the BBC about it
- Follow MailOnline’s Live Blog here: BBC presenter named by his wife Vicky Flind
The BBC’s decision to broadcast further claims about Huw Edwards on Newsnight last night left other staff feeling ‘boiling fury’, a well-placed industry source has revealed.
They claimed the report had felt ‘really aggressive and uncalled for’ given that the police had said there was no criminality involved in the sex picture claims and that Mr Edward’s wife had revealed he was receiving help in hospital with mental health issues.
The source said there was ‘lots of anger’ internally at the BBC about it.
The insider said: ‘It wasn’t hard hitting and these stories have a rhythm and the police had said nothing to see here, his wife had said he has had a break down and is in hospital and The Sun had said we are pausing our end of it and at that point Victoria Derbyshire tries to ramp it up again.’
They added: ‘People felt it was really aggressive and uncalled for and there is a lot of anger about it.’
The new comments come after it emerged that Newsnight host Victoria Derbyshire and other BBC staff were already looking into Huw Edwards before the alleged sex scandal was made public, it was claimed today.
The presenter, who was accused of accidentally saying Mr Edwards’ first name on live TV last week, is claimed to have been probing allegations about his conduct for ‘a while’.
According to Deadline, several sources told them that Ms Derbyshire had already contacted ‘multiple individuals’ regarding rumours about his alleged behaviour including unwanted, inappropriate or flirtatious messages to junior staff.
Victoria Derbyshire is claimed to have been looking at Huw Edwards and reported on it with Lucy Manning last night on Newsnight
Huw Edwards was last seen on the screen on July 5 when he covered King Charles’ visit to Scotland, he was taken off air on July 6 and then suspended days later
But Jon Sopel has accused the BBC of unfairly targeting his friend and claimed: ‘Many of my former BBC colleagues – some very senior – have been in touch to express their anger and dismay at their own coverage of this’. He said Mr Edwards is ‘very angry’ and ‘felt very let down’ by the BBC’s coverage.
MailOnline can also reveal claims that Mr Edwards’ bosses were openly upset about missing the Ashes, Wimbledon and their wives after they were tasked with investigating the broadcaster accused of paying a teenage drug addict for explicit pictures.
A corporation insider claims that while the journalists reporting on the allegations were ‘left in the dark’, BBC management were locked away in a conference room.
One boss was heard ‘moaning loudly’ about missing the sport and England’s Ashes fightback, declaring: ‘The only time I’ve seen my wife this weekend is when she was on TV’, adding: ‘We are all so sick and tired of these people’.
‘They were all very audibly moaning about missing out on time with their kids, watching the cricket etc, which made us all feel pretty awful as we’re the ones who have no idea what’s happening. They all sat in a conference room getting lunch, dinner and ice creams delivered while the rest of us had to “report on ourselves” for the hundredth time this year it seems’.
The Times also reported that bosses had ‘torn up their plans to watch the Ashes and Wimbledon with their families’.
It came amid disquiet over the way the BBC handled the crisis, including not confronting Mr Edwards until seven weeks after he was first accused of giving £35,000 to a teenager over three years.
Responding to Deadline’s claims, a BBC source admitted there were ‘initial soundings’ on Mr Edwards at Newsnight.
The insider said these ‘very initial soundings, which took place in the days before last Friday, developed further after last Friday and resulted in the story you saw last night’. But the insider insisted: ‘It would be wrong to characterise anything before The Sun story was published as an investigation’.
Jon Sopel said today there is no evidence his friend has broken the law or abused his position, and revealed Huw Edwards is ‘very angry’ and ‘felt very let down’ by the BBC’s coverage of claims he paid a teenager for lewd pictures and was improper with colleagues.
He tweeted: ‘I didn’t say any of this lightly, but have been struck by how many of my former BBC colleagues – some very senior – have been in touch to express their anger and dismay at their own coverage of this’.
Mr Sopel, a former colleague and friend of more than three decades, has pointed the finger at the corporation and accused its reporters of enthusiastically digging into the ‘messy’ private life of the married father-of-five.
He spoke to Good Morning Britain just before it was announced that BBC chief Tim Davie will be questioned in Parliament about the corporation’s leadership following the Huw Edwards scandal. The BBC director general, acting chairman Dame Elan Closs Stephens and policy director Clare Sumner have been called to appear before the Lords Communications Committee next Tuesday.
Mr Sopel said today he has not spoken with Mr Edwards since he was admitted to hospital. But he said he had contact with him after the scandal broke in The Sun on Thursday night. He has accused the BBC of taking the lead in a ‘feeding frenzy’ that followed.
He said: ‘We have had contact, not since he has hospitalised. He was very angry and felt very let down by The Sun, furious with their coverage and not overly impressed with the BBC’s coverage either’.
Mr Sopel, who left the BBC last year, claims there are people at ‘BBC news that need to have a long hard look in the mirror over the coverage and over the alacrity with which they have gone into someone’s private life’, adding: ‘What has it got to do with anybody?
‘The Sun said it was not going to reveal anything more and then you hear on BBC News: “We’ve got fresh allegations that he approached people in a flirtatious or inappropriate way” and you think woah, the guy’s in hospital’, he said.
Jon Sopel says his friend Huw Edwards is ‘very angry’ about coverage of allegations he paid for explicit photos
Mr Edwards is receiving mental health treatment and faces an internal investigation as BBC News, Radio 4 and Newsnight reporters uncovered more claims about his behaviour, alleging ‘inappropriate behaviour towards BBC employees past and present’.
One colleague told the national broadcaster last night that he was sending flirtatious messages that made them ‘shudder’ and constituted an ‘abuse of power’.
Mr Sopel said: ‘It is not clear what the issue is other than that his private life is a bit messy.
‘Anyone who knows him is just wishing him well. Huw, I have known for over three decades when we were young political correspondents.
‘He is incredibly funny. As an acid wit. He is a complicated person to deal with, if you enter his orbit he is very defensive of his own territory, so I wouldn’t say we’re close friends but I’d say some of the coverage about his private life… that some might find a little distasteful, I don’t see what it has to do with anybody else.
‘There is no question of illegality, as things stand now, and no abuse of power as far as I can see, so what has it got to do with anybody?’
The corporation faces serious questions about how much it knew about claims that the broadcaster, 61, was sending flirtatious messages to junior staff and young people outside the organisation. They have also been accused of being ‘too slow’ to react, having taken seven weeks to confront him with claims he paid £35,000 to a teenage drug addict for sexually explicit photographs.
The Director General Tim Davie says he was not told until last week – and has not spoken to Mr Edwards, one of his highest paid stars.
There is also open warfare at the BBC after Jeremy Vine urged him to reveal himself to save others being wrongly accused on social media and limit the damage to the BBC. Former BBC stalwart Jon Sopel then urged him to ‘shut the f*** up’ as other stars including Richard Bacon piled in.
Mr Edwards’ wife last night named him as the BBC presenter at the centre of the scandal. Scotland Yard and South Wales Police has announced it had dropped its probe into the allegations, saying there was no evidence of any crime.
Vicky Flind said her husband, who was last on screen on July 5 during the King’s visit to Scotland, was ‘suffering from serious mental health issues’ and is ‘now receiving in-patient hospital care where he will stay for the foreseeable future’.
Huw Edwards faces fresh allegations of inappropriate behaviour from his own BBC colleagues, with one claiming ‘ they felt it was an abuse of power’
It comes hours after the BBC anchor was named by his wife Vicky Flind as the BBC presenter facing allegations over payments for sexually explicit images
There has been growing speculation last night that he will never return to the BBC – although he has not resigned – as the corporation started up its investigation into the news anchor after police said he had committed no crimes.
Since The Sun broke the story, BBC News and Newsnight journalists have uncovered at least six past and present staff who have complained about his behaviour.
PR guru Mark Borkowski told MailOnline: ‘It’s a total mess. One hopes the BBC have done the right thing if not their defence will be shaky and heads will roll. I hope they have learnt from Saville and of course Cliff Richard’.
Mr Edwards’ former colleague and friend John Sergeant declared last night: ‘This isn’t the Huw I know’, but added that the BBC does not appear to have handled it properly and should have moved quicker given it took bosses seven weeks to confront him.
Stars rallied around the newsman and voice of the nation who was said to be ‘suffering from serious mental health issues’.
Mr Edwards, 61, hailed for his faultless announcement of the Queen’s death last year and coverage of the King’s Coronation, has previously suffered from ‘severe depression’, and had had ‘another serious episode’. He would stay in hospital ‘for the foreseeable future’, Ms Flind said.
However, the presenter still faces an internal BBC investigation and the corporation made further claims about his behaviour last night, alleging ‘inappropriate behaviour towards BBC employees past and present’.
A fevered national guessing game had dominated social media for five days as a torrent of lewd claims were made public. Yesterday a snap poll for the Mail suggested one in three people could correctly identify the presenter, making a mockery of UK privacy laws.
Since The Sun’s original story, it is the BBC who have led the way with more allegations.
Huw Edwards allegedly sent ‘inappropriate and flirtatious’ messages to BBC colleagues, it has been revealed, as the corporation urged staff with ‘any concerns’ to come forward.
A current employee said they were left with a ‘cold shudder’ after receiving messages about their appearance, while an ex-staff member claimed ‘late night’ texts which included ‘kisses’ constituted an ‘abuse of power’ by the newsreader.
Junior staff members told the BBC last night that the presenter, 61, had sent ‘inappropriate messages’ to them – but also confirmed that they had not previously officially complained to the corporation.
It comes after Edwards’ wife, Vicky Flind, revealed him as being the presenter accused of paying £35,000 to a ‘vulnerable’ teenager in return for explicit photographs.
The Met Police confirmed it was no longer investigating the allegations against the seasoned BBC anchor as a ‘criminal offence’, shortly before she revealed his identity.
One senior figure at BBC News reportedly said: ‘There was a huge amount of shock that after so many days it all happened so suddenly. People are really upset and shaken.’
In the hours that followed, the three BBC employees – two who currently work at the broadcaster and one ex-staffer – came forward with claims.
BBC Newsnight host Victoria Derbyshire said she spoke to one person who previously worked at the organisation.
‘This person told me they had never met the newsreader, this person said that they had received late night messages on social media including kisses from Huw Edwards, which they said they believed was an abuse of power.’
The presenter said her colleague had spoken to someone who still works at the corporation, ‘who told us that the presenter had sent them a message on social media commenting on their physical appearance, which gave them a ‘cold shudder’.
BBC News Special Correspondent Lucy Manning said: ‘There are questions for BBC bosses about the culture in the newsroom and the way that complaints can be raised and the way people feel comfortable or not to raise them.’
Just minutes after his wife revealed his identity, the BBC reported that colleagues within the organisation had come forward with allegations claiming that the presenter had sent ‘inappropriate messages to them’
Two out of the three people said they felt they couldn’t report what they felt was innappropriate behaviour to BBC managers, the journalist said.
She said of her source: ‘This is someone who is very loyal to the BBC and they believe it is not just a problem for the BBC but across the whole industry.
She added: ‘The BBC responded tonight saying it is encouraging staff to come forward if they have concerns’.
The developments come after an extraordinary five days of speculation – which started when The Sun newspaper accused the presenter of sending cash to a teenager in return for sexual photographs.
READ IN FULL: Statement from Vicky Flind about her husband Huw Edwards
Lucy Manning, special correspondent, revealed during her report for the News at Ten: ‘It’s been a very difficult day here in the BBC newsroom, some of the things we have had to report have been hard to hear.
‘The police have found no evidence of criminality but there is still a lot for the BBC to grapple with.’
She earlier reported: ‘A current BBC employee said this year they had received suggestive messages on social media from the presenter.
‘They believe the messages were inappropriate especially as the presenter was a much more senior colleague.
‘BBC News has seen the messages which refer to the BBC staff member’s appearance and they are flirtatious.
‘The BBC employee wants managers to be more proactive specifically towards younger staff who work with the presenter and to address who senior and junior members of staff interact.
‘They haven’t yet put in a formal complaint because of a desire to remain anonymous but might consider it.
She added: ‘Another BBC worker and a former one have also told Newsnight they received what they perceived to be more inappropriate social media messages from the presenter that made them feel uncomfortable.
‘One said they felt it was an abuse of power by someone very senior in the organisation. There has been no response from the presenter’s lawyers.’
In relation to the latest assertions, a BBC spokesman said ‘We are communicating with staff and will continue to do so.
‘We always treat the concerns of staff with care, and would always urge any staff members to speak to us if they have any concerns.
‘We have clear processes for making complaints within the organisation, including whistleblowing procedures should someone wish to do so anonymously.’
Mr Edwards was named after a number of BBC stars including Gary Lineker, Rylan, Nicky Campbell and Jeremy Vine were forced to publicly deny they were the star at the centre of the scandal. Mr Vine had urged his colleague to name themselves to protect colleagues and the BBC. Mr Campbell went to the police to report people who named him online and threatened to sue them.
Ms Flind’s statement was released at 6pm, however, there was confusion as the BBC first said Mr Edwards, who recently led coverage of the Queen’s death and King Charles’ Coronation, had resigned from his role as their top newsreader.
But minutes later the corporation clarified that he had not quit. Sources close to the star have since stressed that he has not left his job.
Ms Flind said: ‘In light of the recent reporting regarding the “BBC Presenter” I am making this statement on behalf of my husband Huw Edwards, after what have been five extremely difficult days for our family.
The BBC’s top presenter is currently facing four separate allegations
Mr Edwards was named after a number of BBC stars including Gary Lineker, Rylan, Nicky Campbell and Jeremy Vine were forced to publicly deny they were the star at the centre of the scandal
Junior staff members revealed to the Six O’Clock News that the presenter, 61, had sent ‘inappropriate messages’ to them
‘I am doing this primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children.
‘Huw is suffering from serious mental health issues. As is well documented, he has been treated for severe depression in recent years.
‘The events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters, he has suffered another serious episode and is now receiving in-patient hospital care where he’ll stay for the foreseeable future.
‘Once well enough to do so, he intends to respond to the stories that have been published.’
She said that Mr Edwards was first told of the allegations being made against him last Thursday.
‘In the circumstances and given Huw’s condition I would like to ask that the privacy of my family and everyone else caught up in these upsetting events is respected’, the presenter’s wife added.
‘I know that Huw is deeply sorry that so many colleagues have been impacted by the recent media speculation. We hope this statement will bring that to an end.’
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