Stars rally round Huw Edwards as John Simpson and ex-BBC stars Dan Walker and Jon Sopel share support for their former colleague
- Former BBC Breakfast host Walker said Edwards is ‘clearly not in a good place’
Former colleagues and friends of Huw Edwards have rallied round him tonight after he was named at the centre of the scandal engulfing the BBC.
Dan Walker, who hosted the BBC Breakfast show from 2016 until May 2022, and former news correspondent Jon Sopel led the way in wishing Edwards well.
BBC broadcaster John Simpson also wrote on social media saying he feels sorry ‘for Huw himself’, adding that ‘no criminal offences were committed’ and this is ‘a purely personal tragedy for everyone involved’.
In a post on social media, Walker said: ‘This is an awful situation and will come as a big shock to many.
‘Huw Edwards is clearly not in a good place at the moment and this must be terrible for his family.
The former colleagues of Huw Edwards share messages of support on social media following the news that Huw Edwards is the star at the centre of the BBC scandal
Huw Edwards was named as the BBC presenter facing allegations over the ‘£35,000 sex pics scandal’ by his wife Vicky Flind
‘I just hope that whoever needs help – on all sides of this – gets the time, space & support they need to heal.’
Earlier on Wednesday, former BBC News North America editor Sopel said he did not agree that the then-anonymous presenter should come forward.
Speaking on his The News Agents podcast, he said: ‘I think that whoever the presenter is needs to work it out himself, I cannot begin to imagine the sort of pressure, the sort of anguish, turmoil that is going on in his life.’
Sopel, who is now the host of the daily podcast The News Agents, said: ‘This is an awful and shocking episode, where there was no criminality, but perhaps a complicated private life.
‘That doesn’t feel very private now. I hope that will give some cause to reflect. They really need to. I wish Huw Edwards well.’
He added: ‘Dear @BBCRadio4 @BBCNews, Well done on handling the breaking news about @thehuwedwards and the fact that he’s now being treated in hospital – but to then straight off back of that into a report on him facing fresh allegations of misconduct? That was just terrible.’
Simpson, who is a world affairs editor of BBC News, wrote on a post on social media saying: ‘I feel so sorry for everyone involved in this: for the Edwards family, for the complainants, and for Huw himself.
‘No criminal offences were committed, so it’s a purely personal tragedy for everyone involved. Let’s hope the press leave them all alone now.’
Dan Walker, who hosted the BBC Breakfast show from 2016 until May 2022, wrote: ‘Huw Edwards is clearly not in a good place at the moment and this must be terrible for his family’
Former BBC news correspondent Jon Sopel said: ‘This is an awful and shocking episode, where there was no criminality, but perhaps a complicated private life’
Flind said her husband, 61, was ‘suffering from serious mental health issues’ and is ‘now receiving in-patient hospital care where he will stay for the foreseeable future’
In a shock statement issued on Huw’s behalf, Vicky Flind said her husband, 61, was ‘suffering from serious mental health issues’ and is ‘now receiving in-patient hospital care where he will stay for the foreseeable future’ as she asked for privacy for her family.
She also added: ‘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.’
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