Huw Edwards was 'warned by the BBC about his online conduct two years before ... trends now
Huw Edwards was allegedly warned by the BBC about his online conduct two years before the scandal that led to him being taken off air, a report has claimed.
The Welsh newsreader, 62, who has been off air since last July after he was accused of paying a young person for sexually explicit images, was spoken to about his behaviour on two separate occasions in 2021 and 2022, according to The Times.
The first meeting reportedly came following a complaint from a woman, who was in her 40s at the time, in May 2021 where she requested Edwards stop messaging her online, which prompted bosses to speak to Huw 'about his actions'.
However, the pair remained in contact, prompting a second complaint from the same woman in January 2022, the newspaper added.
A month later on February 23, a senior BBC manager allegedly spoke to Huw again about his behaviour advising that 'further concerns had been raised' and any contact 'should now cease'. Despite this, the pair allegedly continued to talk over email.
Huw Edwards was allegedly warned by the BBC about his online conduct two years before the scandal that led to him being taken off air
Edwards, pictured with his mother, has been off air since last July after he was accused of paying a young person for sexually explicit images
The Welsh newsreader, 62, was allegedly spoken to about his behaviour by BBC bosses on two separate occasions in 2021 and 2022. Pictured: BBC Broadcasting House, in central London
The woman began messaging Edwards privately on Instagram in 2018, according to a BBC report which has been seen by The Times.
She lodged a complaint against Edwards in May 2021, with the newsreader supposedly informed about it by BBC managers 'within hours'.
Bosses spoke to him about 'his actions and his social media use', The Times reports, and told him to stop messaging her.
After the meeting, the woman reportedly retracted her complaint after being contacted by the star.
The woman then lodged another complaint in January 2022, but again she subsequently retracted it after being contacted by Edwards.
A month later, bosses had a meeting with Huw about the incident on February 23, 2022, in which a senior 'member of News leadership advised that further concerns had been raised and that contact with you should now cease.'
Despite this the pair allegedly continued speaking to each other via email.
The claims reportedly came to light following an internal BBC investigation into its handling of both complaints.
A summary of its findings supposedly admitted the meeting with Huw in February 2022 'could have been conducted more formally'.
Huw Edwards was last seen on the screen on July 5 last year when he covered King Charles' visit to Scotland (pictured). Nine months on he has left the BBC on health grounds
The broadcaster, 62, announced that the Queen had died in September 2022
In a statement released by Mr Edward's wife Vicky Flind last year, she said that he was receiving in-patient hospital care following the claims first reported in The Sun that he paid a teenager for explicit photographs
The BBC also told The Times: 'More generally, when dealing with non-editorial complaints we have longstanding and robust processes in place.
'We will always seek to handle any such issues with care, fairness and sensitivity to everyone concerned, but, as we have set out, there will always be a limit to what can be said or shared about such processes.'
The Times said Edwards lawyers were 'unable to comment on these unsubstantiated allegations'.
It comes as earlier this week, Edwards resigned from his £439,000-a-year job at the corporation because of 'medical advice' from his doctors.
The BBC said that its star anchor, who broke the news of Queen Elizabeth II's death and presented coverage of most major national events including elections and the Coronation, has left the BBC on health grounds.
There was no mention of allegations he sent more than £35,000 to a teenager in return for sexually explicit photographs.
A corporation spokesman said: 'Huw Edwards has today resigned and left the BBC. After 40 years of service, Huw has explained that his decision was made on the basis of medical advice from his doctors.
'The BBC has accepted his resignation which it believes will allow all parties to move forward'.
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 left with immediate effect - but is not known if the BBC's internal workplace investigation into whether Edwards brought the broadcaster into disrepute was completed.
A mocked up version of a reported Instagram message exchange between the BBC star and a teenager
In February, the BBC apologised to the young person's family, who'd complained about Edwards two months before he was suspended, acknowledging that there had been 'shortcomings' in the way it had dealt with the case as it reviewed its complaints procedures.
Huw was named by his own wife as the BBC star accused of paying £35,000 to a vulnerable teenager in return for explicit photographs - minutes after Scotland Yard dropped their probe into the allegations last year.
There had been a frenzy of speculation about the identity of the star. Gary Lineker and Jeremy Vine had felt obliged to deny that they were the man in question.
Vicky Flind then issued the shock statement and revealed her husband, who was last on screen on July 5 last year during the King's visit to Scotland, was 'suffering from serious mental health issues' following the claims that emerged in The Sun the following day.
Vicky and Huw have five grown up children, brought up together in south London.
The Mail revealed this month that Huw has taken sanctuary in his beloved Wales and is being comforted in
