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7 months ago
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Huw Edwards yesterday resigned from his £439,000-a-year job as the BBC's star newsreader because of 'medical advice' from his doctors.
Britain's most famous newsreader, 62, has been off air since last July after he was accused of paying a young person for sexually explicit images.
The star anchor's prestigious career involved breaking the news of Queen Elizabeth II's death and both Prince William and Prince Harry's weddings.
He was widely regarded to be at the pinnacle of his career and had just picked up a television award for Best Live Event for covering the late Queen's funeral.
But his spectacular downfall began in July 2023 when The Sun published allegations of an unnamed BBC star at the centre of a sex scandal.
This is the full timeline of Huw Edwards' explicit photos scandal and BBC resignation.
Huw Edwards, 62, at the pinnacle of his career and picking up a television award for Best Live Event for covering the late Queen's funeral
Britain's most famous newsreader covering the Queen's state funeral on September 19, 2022
April 2023
Police were contacted but 'no criminality was identified'.
May 18, 2023
A family member of the young person, who was 17 at the time, made an in-person complaint about the behaviour of a BBC presenter.
May 19, 2023
A complainant contacted the BBC in a 29-minute call to the BBC's audience services team, and the details were referred to the Corporate Investigations Team.
The family member reportedly asked the broadcaster to stop sending their family member cash.
The Corporate Investigations Team decided the complaint didn't include an allegation of criminality, but merited more investigation.
The investigators email the complainant to get more information but they get no response.
The star anchor's prestigious career involved breaking the news of Queen Elizabeth II's death and both Prince William and Prince Harry 's weddings. Pictured with Justin Welby on May 6, 2023
Huw Edwards attends an exclusive breakfast in March 2019
June 6, 2023
After getting no reply to the email, the Corporate Investigations Team tries to call the complainant but the call does not connect.
However, the Sun reported later that the family said no one from the corporation phoned them for a proper interview after they complained.
The BBC said no more attempts to contact the family were made after this date, but that the case 'remained open'.
July 5, 2023
Huw Edwards is seen for the last time on the BBC as he covered King Charles' visit to Scotland.
July 6, 2023
The Sun informs BBC Press Office about allegations against the star presenter.
The BBC launches an 'incident management group' of top executives after becoming aware of new allegations 'of a different nature' against the presenter.
It is the first time Mr Davie or any executive directors were made aware of the case, according to the BBC.
A senior manager holds the first conversation with the presenter concerned.
It is agreed he should not appear on air while the allegations are investigated.
Huw Edwards was last seen on the screen on July 5 last year when he covered King Charles' visit to Scotland (pictured)
The BBC was under-pressure after the allegation were made public by The Sun on July 7
July 7, 2023
The Sun published its exclusive which alleged that a BBC presenter, unnamed at the time, paid a total of £35,000 for sexual content to someone beginning when they were 17.
But a lawyer acting on behalf of the young person told The Sun that evening there was 'no truth' to the claims.
The BBC said it would investigate and it made contact with the Metropolitan Police.
July 8, 2023
The complainant sends the BBC 'materials related to the complaint'.
There is a frenzy of speculation about the identity of the star. Gary Lineker, Jeremy Vine, Rylan Clark and Nicky Campbell all feel obliged to deny that they were the man in question.
Jeremy Vine released a statement to say he was not the BBC star under investigation
Edwards, who was born in Bridgend and brought up in Llangennech, Carmarthenshire, joined the BBC as a trainee in 1984. Pictured on the six o'clock news in 1999
The broadcaster announced that the Queen had died in September 2022
July 9, 2023
The BBC confirms that a male presenter has been suspended from all duties.
The Sun reports that the presenter allegedly made two phone calls to the young person and pleaded with them to call their mother to stop the investigation.
July 10, 2023
BBC representatives and Metropolitan Police detectives meet in the morning to discover if any crimes have been committed.
The young person claims through a lawyer that the allegations are 'rubbish'.
In response, the Sun said it had 'reported a story about two very concerned parents who made a complaint to the BBC about the behaviour of a presenter and the welfare of their child'.
The parents stood by their account to the Sun and the stepfather was quoted in a story saying the allegations were originally put the the BBC 'for an hour'.
July 11, 2023
Director-general of the BBC Tim Davie defends the delay in speaking to the BBC presenter.
But the BBC admits there were 'lessons to be learned' prompting a boss to assess the protocols.
In the afternoon, new claims emerged from the BBC that the presenter sent threatening messages to a second young person.
It is claimed they met on a dating app, before the conversation moved to other platforms where the presenter revealed his identity.
He then allegedly sent a number of 'threatening messages' to the youngster, which the BBC has seen.
The Sun reported the star is also accused of breaking lockdown rules to meet a 23-year-old stranger from a dating site.
A mocked up version of a reported Instagram message exchange between the BBC star and a teenager
Tim Davie spoke on BBC Radio 4 on July 11 about the scandal were he defended the delay in speaking to the BBC presenter
Mr Edwards enjoys a coffee and a pastry with his dog in April 2023 near his south London home
Edwards pictured in 1999. He would go on to become one of the BBC's highest-paid stars
July 12, 2023
Huw Edwards is revealed as the BBC presented by his wife Vicky Flind.
She said he was 'suffering from serious mental health issues'.
The bombshell revelation came just moments after the police said they were 'taking no further action' in the case.
But BBC boss Mr Davie sent an email to staff informing them that an internal investigation would continue even though police were no longer involved.
The BBC reported fresh allegations from two current junior members of staff and one former member of staff who claim they were sent messages that made them uncomfortable.
July 12, 2023
Mr Davie asked for a second review of the BBC's complaints protocols after it was revealed the family were only contacted twice by the corporation - despite the seriousness of the allegations.
February 27, 2024
The BBC apologised to the young person's family, who'd complained about Edwards two months before he was suspended.
An independent report by Deloitte is published into the BBC's complaints handling procedure
The publicly-funded broadcaster acknowledged that there had been 'shortcomings' in the way it had dealt with the case as it reviewed its complaints procedures.
April, 2024
Edwards took sanctuary in his beloved Wales and was being comforted in Carmarthenshire by his mother Aerona.
Huw Edwards is revealed as the BBC presented by his wife Vicky Flind on July 12. The couple pictured together in 2018
The 62-year-old newsreader has taken sanctuary in his beloved Wales and is being comforted in Carmarthenshire by his mother Aerona (pictured)
Mr Edwards is understood to be close with his mother. Pictured together in April 2023
April 22, 2024
Huw Edwards resigns from the BBC.
Broadcasting executive Stewart Purvis CBE said there is 'relief across the BBC' that the 'extraordinarily damaging saga' has been resolved.
He added that Edwards having 'walked from the BBC' will be viewed as 'quite a successful outcome' for the corporation.
Edwards has never publicly commented in the nine months since he was suspended.
MailOnline understands he received no pay off from the BBC - but had been paid his £439,000-a-year salary while he was suspended. He was the fourth highest-paid star on the 2022/23 list.
What happens next?
Although Edwards left with immediate effect - it is not known if the BBC's internal workplace investigation into whether he brought the broadcaster into disrepute was completed.
On the evening of April 22, the family of the young person vowed 'this is not the end' as they declared they will keep fighting for answers despite star's resignation.
Meanwhile Clive Myrie, 59, has been tipped as the news presenter who could front the BBC's election coverage and succeed Edwards as the News at Ten anchor.
Sophie Raworth, Laura Kuenssberg and Nick Robinson are also in contention to host the upcoming election night.
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