Sophie Raworth began the six o’clock news on BBC One on Wednesday by confirming it was her colleague Huw Edwards at the centre of the latest s*x pic scandal.
The newsreader started the show by naming her co-star as the man alleged to have paid a 17-year-old more than £35,000 for s*xually explicit pictures, reports the Mirror.
It comes following Huw’s wife Vicky Flind naming her husband as the man at the centre of the allegations.
Raworth said: “In the last few minutes the BBC presenter has been named as Huw Edwards, the man who has been accused of paying a teenager for explicit photos.”
She continued: “And said about her husband that he was suffering from serious mental health issues and is receiving in-patient hospital care where he will stay for the foreseeable future.
“She asked for privacy for her family. Now, as we have been reporting for days now on the BBC, there has been speculation ever since The Sun began to report on the presenter and we have not been able to name him. This news will come as such a shock to viewers.”
During the report, Sophie sparked confusion as she said Huw Edwards had resigned following his wife’s statement. She said: “At six, Huw Edwards is the presenter accused of paying a teenager for explicit photos.
“In the last few minutes, he has announced his resignation,” she added. However, whilst speaking to Katie Razzall, Sophie gave a correction.
“I must just correct something as well because this is all breaking in the last few minutes but he is not resigning. He has been named by his wife, he has not resigned,” she said.
Huw’s wife Vicky Flind said in a statement: “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 am doing this primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children.
“Huw is suffering from serious mental health issues. As is well documented, he has been treated for severe depression in recent years. The events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters, he has suffered another serious episode and is now receiving in-patient hospital care where he’ll stay for the foreseeable future.
“Once well enough to do so, he intends to respond to the stories that have been published. To be clear Huw was first told that there were allegations being made against him last Thursday.
“In the circumstances and given Huw’s condition I would like to ask that the privacy of my family and everyone else caught up in these upsetting events is respected.
“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.”
