Following the charges levelled against Huw Edwards, a BBC executive has stated that the network must act to “change the culture.”
Long-time BBC presenter Edwards, 61, was banned last month after allegations surfaced that he paid a young person more than £35,000 for sexually explicit photos.
The Met police later confirmed there was no evidence of a crime being committed, with Edwards’s wife issuing a statement on his behalf, revealing he’d been’suffering from serious mental health issues’ and was receiving in-patient hospital care, where he would remain for the ‘foreseeable future’.
Now, BBC executive Charlotte Moore has stated that the national broadcaster wants the internal inquiry into the suspended News at Ten anchor to be revealed “as soon as possible” since the ambiguity is “very uncomfortable.”
While she stated that she was not engaged in the probe, Moore did state that the BBC takes its duty of care “incredibly seriously,” and that executives needed to “change the culture” and not rely solely on processes and standards.
Addressing the subject of duty of care at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Moore stated that the BBC will reevaluate its whistleblower and safety protocols following the Serota Review in 2021.
She added that anyone with anything to talk about ‘must come forward’ and it was ‘incredibly important that people feel that they can speak out’.
Moore also said this needed to be the culture on ‘every production’ and across all positions of seniority.
‘We have to change the culture. The procedures and guidelines can only get you so far,’ she added.
A BBC spokeswoman said last month that the corporation would focus on ‘fact finding,’ with the corporation also expected to explore other complaints of possible workplace misbehaviour that were not criminal in nature.
They noted that they will focus on ensuring due process and a comprehensive examination of the facts while “remaining mindful of our duty of care to all involved.”
Director general Tim Davie also stated that he had requested a separate review into whether the BBC’s complaints protocols and procedures were appropriate, after it was revealed that the corporation contacted the family who made the allegations about Edwards only twice, despite deeming them’very serious’.
After Edwards was identified as the presenter at the focus of the claims, numerous others, including Dan Walker, Alistair Campbell, and Jon Sopel, stepped out in support of him.
Channel 5 presenter Walker said it was ‘an awful situation and will come as a big shock to many’.
