HUW HELL
I was groomed by Huw Edwards as a schoolboy – he called me ‘big boy’ then dropped me when I didn’t give what he wanted
The man alleges that Edwards told him to follow him on Instagram and that he could help him with his music career
A YOUNG man who claims he was groomed by Huw Edwards as a teen says that the disgraced star called him "big boy" before dropping him without hesitation.
Emyr, not his real name, has accused the shamed ex-broadcaster of behaving inappropriately towards him while he was a sixth form student.
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Emyr claims Edwards tried to groom him as an 18-year-old after seeing him perform in his school uniform before offering him a personal tour of BBC HQ.
Edwards, 63, asked the starstruck sixth former to follow him on Instagram and sent him suggestive messages calling him "babe" and "big boy".
The teenage student was then invited by the former newsreader to the BBC’s headquarters in London in part of a pattern of "grooming" behaviour.
And Emyr has blasted BBC bosses for allowing Edwards free reign of the newsroom and not having further checks in place for visitors' safety.
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The former BBC News at 10 presenter pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children in September 2024.
But dad-of-five Edwards, escaped with a suspended jail term after he paid £1,500 for images and videos he branded “amazing”, including one of a child aged between seven and nine.
These new allegations are not associated with the criminal case.
Speaking to current affairs programme Y Byd ar Bedwar - the World on Four on S4C, Channel 4 in Wales - Emyr said: "People like him believe they can do whatever they want, and abuse their power."
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Emyr said he met Edwards when performing in his school uniform at a community concert where Edwards was the compère.
He said: "He came up to me at the end of the night to say hello. He said that the performance was good, that I was very talented and that he wanted to connect with me.”
Emyr alleges that Edwards told him to follow him on Instagram and that he could help him with his music career.
"He asked me if I wanted to meet him in London and have a tour of the BBC, where I could meet a few contacts.”
It's beyond unacceptable Huw Edwards won't spend a single day in prison for depraved crime
Awestruck Emyr - not his real name - accepted the invite and was given a personal tour of the newsroom where he was introduced to BBC workers as a “friend” of the newsreader who had a “musical talent”.
Emyr said he was promised opportunities to perform at concerts in London, but this never happened and would message back and forth with Edwards on Instagram.
In those messages, the broadcaster, who was almost 40 years older than Emyr, would send kisses and hearts emojis in his messages, as well as calling him “babe” and “big boy”.
Emyr initially thought Edwards' language was "banterous" but later realised it was something more sinister.
"He was trying to flirt. It was some sort of grooming communication," he said.
But after a few months and Emyr not returning the flirtatious messages their communication stopped and Edwards unfollowed him.
Emyr said: "He just lost interest in me. I don’t think I gave him what he was looking for."
'COMPLETELY DISGUSTING'
He believes that the broadcaster abused the power he held as one of the BBC’s most prominent presenters.
Emyr added: "People like him think that they can do whatever they want, and abuse their power.”
"I feel very sad for the people who have been affected worse than me. I feel lucky in a way. It’s completely disgusting.”
Several former colleagues of Huw Edwards confirmed that they had seen the presenter giving tours of the building to people who did not work at the BBC.
However, they added that this would not have seemed inappropriate at the time.
Huw Edwards did not respond to Y Byd ar Bedwar’s request for a response.
Emyr also questioned whether the BBC had enough checks in place to protect him when he visited the company’s building with the presenter.
"Just because I was with Huw Edwards, I could walk in without a problem. I don’t remember anyone asking me why I was there.
"There should be some sort of procedure or professional reason for someone to enter the building.”
The BBC said they have commissioned an independent review to strengthen their workplace culture.
A spokesperson spokesperson said: “We have been clear that we are appalled by Huw Edwards’ crimes.
"He has betrayed not just the BBC, but audiences who put their trust in him.
£A Board-commissioned independent review of the BBC’s workplace culture is currently underway, with a particular focus on preventing abuse of power and ensuring everyone at the BBC conducts themselves in line with our values.
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“The BBC has robust safeguarding policies and processes in place. If people contact us directly with concerns about our protocols we will look at these carefully, in line with the BBC’s Complaints Framework.”
The full documentary on Huw Edwards will air tonight at 8pm on S4C.
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Huw Edwards sentence terms
HUW Edwards dodged jail over child sex abuse images.
The ex-BBC star, who got a suspended prison sentence, was not hit with any stringent restrictions like other offenders.
Edwards, 63, can also travel abroad provided he gives police seven days’ notice.
There are no limitations on where he can go in the UK — meaning he can even visit a children’s playground.
Edwards paid up to £1,500 to Alex Williams, who sent him legal pornography pictures as well as 41 child sex images.
In July, he pleaded guilty to charges of making indecent images.
Last week at Westminster magistrates’ court he got a six-month jail sentence, suspended for two years.
Sources said Edwards — who fronted the BBC’s News at Ten — is being treated at the £5,000-a-week Nightingale Hospital, a mental health facility in central London.
The judge also ordered him to complete a sex offender treatment programme and 25 rehabilitation sessions.
Those will involve confessing his depraved crimes and how they affected both him and his victims in front of a group of fellow paedophiles.
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