BBC defends round the clock coverage of Huw Edward's scandal

BBC defends the corporation’s round the clock coverage of Huw Edward’s scandal and said it reported event ‘proportionally’

• The BBC said it had ‘scrutinised’ and ‘investigated’ all aspects of the allegations
• It comes as it received more than 100 complaints claiming too much coverage

The BBC has defended its round-the-clock coverage of the Huw Edward’s controversy as ‘proportionate’.

It had ‘scrutinised’ and ‘investigated’ all aspects of the story about Mr Edwards, according to the broadcaster. 

It comes as the corporation reportedly received complaints from more than 100 people claiming it gave the story too much coverage.

Mr Edwards, who was paid up to £439,000 last year, was treated by BBC news coverage like he would have been if he worked anywhere else, according to the broadcaster.

He was accused of sending a young person £35,000 and receiving explicit images. But the individual said nothing unlawful happened and police found no evidence of criminal activity.

The BBC has defended its round-the-clock coverage of the Huw Edward’s controversy as ‘proportionate’

It comes as the corporation reportedly received complaints from more than 100 people claiming it gave the story too much coverage

The broadcaster told The Times: ‘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.’

It added: ‘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.’

At the time, it emerged that BBC journalists were working on more potential stories about Huw Edwards despite ‘boiling fury’ from some of the presenter’s colleagues about a Newsnight probe, it is claimed. 

Ms Maitlis, who worked for the BBC for decades and presented Newsnight before Ms Derbyshire, said some of the corporation’s reporting of the scandal was ‘a bit distasteful’.

In an apparent swipe at Ms Derbyshire and other reporters, Ms Maitlis said: ‘There is something a bit distasteful I think, about, if you know this stuff about a colleague, why isn’t your first duty to then go to HR? Or to go to a senior manager or to say “I think this is going on” rather than to turn it into a news story’.

READ MORE: Emily Maitlis blasts ex-BBC colleagues for ‘distasteful’ reporting of fresh Huw Edwards allegations including Victoria Derbyshire on Newsnight instead of going to HR bosses

The ex-BBC newsreader spoke out on her podcast The News Agents, which is alongside Huw Edwards’ friend Jon Sopel, who has also been critical of the BBC and claims Huw is ‘very angry’ and upset by the coverage.

In a shock statement issued on Huw’s behalf at the time, Vicky Flind said her husband, 61, was ‘suffering from serious mental health issues’ and is ‘now receiving in-patient hospital care where he will stay for the foreseeable future’ as she asked for privacy for her family.

She also added: ‘In light of the recent reporting regarding the ‘BBC Presenter’ I am making this statement on behalf of my husband Huw Edwards, after what have been five extremely difficult days for our family.

‘I know that Huw is deeply sorry that so many colleagues have been impacted by the recent media speculation. 

‘We hope this statement will bring that to an end. Once well enough to do so, he intends to respond to the stories that have been published’.

Ms Maitlis said BBC and The Sun’s reporters were ‘weirdly working, sort of competing, but working in the same circle together’.

‘Now in one way we should be very pleased with that,’ she said. ‘We want to have Chinese walls between the editorial side and the management side’, but then said that she thought BBC reporters should have gone straight to HR with what they knew.