The has defended its relentless coverage of the Scan**l after being flooded with complaints.
The BBC News anchor, 61, was at the centre of speculation surrounding an unnamed BBC presenter who paid for sexually explicit images before his as the star in question.
Edwards is the , making the broadcaster’s coverage all the more surreal while many viewers felt the wall-to-wall reporting on the case was unwarranted and became ‘too much’.
While it’s unclear how many complaints the BBC received, it only responds with statements after receiving at least 100 or more.
Following the allegations first published in The Sun, the broadcaster said ‘serious questions’ were raised about one its most well-known presenters.
‘BBC News reports on the BBC independently and impartially in the same way as we would with any other organisation.’ said a spokesperson.
‘We scrutinised and investigated all aspects of the story, including other allegations against the presenter, the journalistic merit of the Sun’s decision to publish, privacy law in the social media age and the reputational implications for the BBC.’
Despite mounting pressure to name Edwards when others including Rylan Clark, Jeremy Vine and Gary Lineker were being, the BBC chose not to identify the presenter.
Explaining that decision specifically, the statement continued: ‘Legal and privacy considerations, which we explained in detail throughout our coverage, meant we couldn’t name Huw Edwards; it was only following the statement issued by his family that we were in a position to do so.
‘We transparently explained the reasons why this was the case and that this was a complex story with many of the facts unknown.’
‘We were careful to report with sensitivity, mindful of the public interest as well as the privacy and welfare of all those affected. It was important for us to keep our audience updated with developments, which included statements from the Metropolitan and South Wales police saying they had found no evidence that a criminal offence had been committed.
‘We believe our coverage of this story was proportionate, reflecting the significance of the issues raised. However, we realise not everyone will agree with the stories we cover and the prominence we give them.’
The BBC’s investigation into Edwards is still ongoing and could continue for months, while he has been suspended by the channel.
Edwards’s struggles with mental health have been well-documented and his wife Flind confirmed due to stress over the allegations he had been hospitalised.
