BBC apologises to household at centre of Huw Edwards scandal | UK Information

The BBC has apologised to the household concerned within the Huw Edwards scandal over the way in which it dealt with their grievance.

The BBC confronted accusations it didn’t reply shortly sufficient to complaints from the household of a teen, after it took seven weeks for allegations of inappropriate behaviour to be put to Edwards.

Edwards, who was the BBC’s highest-earning newsreader, was accused of paying an adolescent 1000’s of kilos for sexually specific images.

In July 2023 the BBC commissioned a assessment of its non-editorial complaints insurance policies and processes, which promised to “assess how some complaints are red-flagged up the organisation”.

He additionally ordered an extra “factfinding investigation”.

Now, seven months later, the report has discovered there was a necessity for “better consistency” in how complaints on the company are processed, and revealed that the preliminary grievance about Edwards was not logged on the related case administration system so couldn’t be seen by senior figures.

The report additionally highlighted that there was no documented course of for contact and follows-ups with the complainant, so when makes an attempt to make contact had been unsuccessful, the plan of action was not clear.

‘We settle for the method enhancements in full’

Commenting on the assessment, revealed in the present day, Leigh Tavaziva, the BBC Group Chief Working Officer mentioned: “Though our current processes and methods are, on the entire, working successfully, this assessment exhibits that we have to be part of them up higher to make sure regardless of how a non-editorial grievance comes into the BBC it’s escalated swiftly, when wanted, and handled by the appropriate individuals.

“The place the assessment identifies course of enhancements we settle for these in full, and we’re delivering on an motion plan with plenty of enhancements already in place.

“The report identifies particular course of shortcomings within the presenter case. The preliminary grievance on this case was not escalated shortly sufficient to senior administration and now we have apologised to the complainant for this.”

The report, which was led by Ms Tavaziva and carried out by Deloitte, additionally discovered that some workers felt nervous about elevating a grievance with the BBC, notably if it was a few extra senior member of workers or a excessive profile determine.

Moreover it recommended the BBC make “higher use of know-how” to offer a full image of every grievance throughout all groups coping with them.

Round every week after information of the allegations towards Edwards broke, BBC director-general Tim Davie and different BBC bosses had been questioned in parliament at a pre-arranged Lords Communications Committee session.

‘Not deliver the BBC into disrepute’ clause

On the time Mr Davie mentioned: “We have now been in contact with the complainant, we wish to be engaged and appropriately listening and understanding their concern”.

He was additionally requested about holding the BBC’s high-paid expertise to account, responding: “I believe the historical past of this trade is such that we should always all be involved and appropriately diligent across the abuse of energy by individuals in highly effective positions.

“You want to be certain that you are very, very clear on what your expectations are culturally, in addition to the coverage.”

He went on to say he was “proud” of the company’s code of conduct and values, calling the whistleblowing course of by which workers can confidentially report considerations to an exterior assist at work line “a secure place”.

He additionally confirmed to friends that high-profile presenters on the company have a clause of their contract about not bringing the BBC into disrepute.

Unique allegations

Allegations that Edwards paid an adolescent greater than £35,000 for sexually specific images had been first revealed in The Solar on Friday 7 July. The paper didn’t identify him on the time.

5 days later, the Metropolitan Police mentioned they didn’t consider any felony exercise had taken place and could be taking no additional motion.

In a letter to BBC Information, the younger individual on the centre of the Edwards controversy mentioned by way of attorneys nothing inappropriate or illegal occurred with the then unnamed presenter.

Following intense hypothesis over the identification of the BBC presenter, Edwards’ spouse, Vicky Flind, confirmed him as the person on the centre of the allegations.

In a press release, she mentioned he was “affected by critical psychological well being points” and was “receiving in-patient hospital care”.

Edwards has been absent from screens for the reason that story first broke.

Because the face of BBC Information At 10, the 62-year-old has beforehand led election night time protection, and broke the information of Queen Elizabeth II’s demise. He was final on air on Wednesday 5 July, masking the King’s go to to Scotland.