Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards is facing new allegations from a young man who claims he was “groomed” by the broadcaster. In an interview with the Daily Mirror, the man accused Edwards of taking advantage of his vulnerability and paying him for explicit photos when he was a teenager.
The Metropolitan Police previously found no evidence of criminal behavior in the matter, but this week Edwards pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children in a separate case. The Sun newspaper first reported on the allegations last year, with the young man’s mother claiming Edwards had paid her child tens of thousands of pounds for explicit photos over three years.
The young man, who had initially stayed silent to protect Edwards, now describes him as “an A-class manipulator” who preyed on his need for help when he was homeless. He said he felt like he was being groomed by Edwards, who he trusted and looked up to as a BBC presenter.
The Sun also published a video allegedly showing Edwards waiting for the young man at a train station, filmed by the young man’s stepfather who wanted to confront him. Edwards was suspended by the BBC last year and resigned in April citing medical advice.
The young man revealed that Edwards had contacted him last October, just before his arrest, showing no remorse for his actions. Edwards has never commented on the claims and is set to appear in court next month. The young man hopes that speaking out will bring justice and closure to the situation.
