(London) The BBC’s internal investigation into star presenter Huw Edwards, who was at the center of a sex photo scandal in early July, could last for months, the chief executive of the British audiovisual group said on Tuesday. , Tim Davie.
Questioned by a parliamentary committee on Tuesday, Mr Davie spoke of “a difficult case” where the BBC tried to “calmly manage certain concerns”.
Huw Edwards, a BBC stalwart who has presented the 10 p.m. news for 20 years, was named last week as the presenter at the center of a scandal that has dominated the headlines for several days, with accusations falling to the account -drops in English media.
Police, however, said they had found no evidence that a criminal offense had been committed.
The tabloid The Sun, one of the BBC’s most vocal critics, quoted an unidentified woman as saying her child, initially aged 17, had received 35,000 pounds ($60,000) from the presenter over three years, “in exchange for photos sordid”. Charges described as “bullshit” by the young person herself.
The BBC also reported that the presenter had sent threats from his mobile phone to another young person he met on an app and that two employees of the group and a former employee said they had received “inappropriate” and “suggestive” messages from Huw. Edwards.
Despite the police’s conclusions, the BBC is continuing its internal investigation which “could take weeks or take a few months or even more”, Tim Davie told MPs, questioned before the parliamentary committee on the conduct of this case.
“My main priority is to be fair, to make sure that all information is considered in this process and to act judiciously,” he said.
He confirmed that the BBC had been “in contact” with the complainant since the first charges were published and said a “review of protocols and procedures” was underway.
Huw Edwards was hospitalized after the charges, suffering from depression.