BBC Apologizes for Mishandling Huw Edwards Complaint, Promises Improved Procedures

The BBC has issued an apology for its handling of a complaint involving the presenter Huw Edwards. The corporation admitted to shortcomings in its escalation process and promised improvements following an independent review by Deloitte. Allegations against Huw Edwards surfaced in May 2023 but were not promptly addressed by senior management until July 6.

The complaint, made by a family member of a young person, was not logged correctly or followed up on in a documented manner. Deloitte’s report highlighted the lack of proper procedures within the BBC for handling such cases. The initial contact from the family should have been escalated to the relevant security manager but was not.

According to the report, the case was not entered into the BBC’s case management system, leading to a lack of visibility within the organization. There were no documented processes for contact or follow-up with the complainant. The BBC acknowledged the need for changes in its non-editorial complaints process to ensure consistency.

The Sun Newspaper had published claims about Huw Edwards, alleging he paid a young person for explicit photos. Vicky Flind, Huw Edwards’ wife, stated that he would address the allegations once he has recovered sufficiently.

Leigh Tavaziva, BBC’s group chief operating officer, acknowledged specific process flaws in handling the complaint about Huw Edwards. The BBC vowed to strengthen its procedures for non-editorial complaints following the scandal last year. An internal workplace investigation into whether Huw Edwards brought disrepute to the broadcaster is ongoing.

The Deloitte review found that the complaint made in May last year at a Cardiff location was not properly escalated or logged within the BBC system. This lack of visibility and documented processes necessitated changes to prevent similar failures in the future.

Tim Davie, the BBC boss, stated that there were no allegations of criminality at the time of the initial complaint. The BBC’s Serious Case Management Framework (SCMF) was activated when new allegations emerged in July, leading to Huw Edwards’ suspension from air.