BBC Scandal - Huw Edwards formally suspended over payment of explicit images of teenager Read OP*

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120848736#Comment_120848736

It's always the quiet ones you have to watch. Edwards is long enough at the BBC to have witnessed the downfall of this broadcasting titan

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120848575#Comment_120848575

The references to mental health here are either some posters asking how mental health contributed to his actions, posts claiming he's playing the mental health card, or posts saying that he has a history of mental health issues and has spoken about this so he's not just suddenly playing the mental health card.

Currently, there's no evidence of anything illegal but The Sun ran with the story that he was paying a 17 year old for pictures, that obviously isn't true because it would be illegal. He was getting his kicks online, he has more than likely killed his career, and his wife and family have to deal with this publicly.

I'm not defending him, but The Sun has treated him and his family appallingly.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120848766#Comment_120848766

ah sure they got some clicks though in fairness can’t be blamed fully here

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120848689#Comment_120848689

Maybe the two things are intertwined at a deeper level. Maybe the stress of suppressing his 'true' sexuality all these years was at the root of his mental health problems?

Which two things do you mean are intertwined? Like undoubtedly hiding his sexuality contributed to his mental health problems, but that’s completely unrelated to his willingness to exploit other people for his own personal gain.

By way of putting it in context - millions of people experience ill mental health, mental health problems, issues and whatever. Maybe hundreds among those people are in a similar position to Edwards where they’re earning £500k annual salaries. A couple of hundred among those salary earners will contribute considerable sums of financial assistance to charity or promoting other causes which matter to them, and prefer to keep it on the down-low as they don’t want the publicity.

Very few of those people will seek out and exploit people in the knowledge that they are unlikely ever to be exposed, because those people they’re exploiting are unlikely to be ever in a position to do so. £35k to charity goes a long ways toward helping other people, whereas £35k to exploit a young person for his own gratification is needing to keep his behaviour on the down-low so as not to attract publicity, for entirely different reasons.

https://pkbnews.in/huw-edwards-net-worth-salary/

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120848766#Comment_120848766

Oh I completely agree. My comment about mental health was a general musing. What I mean is he still carried on doing it, but now he's experiencing mental distress - because he got caught out though. That doesn't contradict that he already had mental health issues.

This is a really sad situation that's unfolding. Huw and his wife and family must be in pieces. The colleagues who he sent the flirty messages to must have felt uneasy and very uncomfortable. The young men on Only Fans must be questioning why they chose to be on Only Fans.

Huw behaved in a reckless and self destructive manner. I don't believe he is a monster or predator, but someone who is very lost in himself. Maybe. If anything else comes to light then I'm open to changing my view but for now that's my perception.

Risk taking is a regular part of everyday life but for some their attitude towards risk and engagement with it is very unhealthy. There can be an adrenalin hit when doing something they know they shouldn't or that may be dangerous.

Perhaps Huw felt a sense of exhilaration from what he was doing and that helped lift him briefly from bouts of depression. Perhaps he felt empty inside and the interactions with the men took some of this away.

Maybe his self worth was/is on the floor so it's a case of nothing to lose and "I don't deserve to treat myself with respect and I'm too in my own pain to consider others". Or he was desperately lonely and that was bigger than not wanting to hurt others.

He lost sight of himself and his family. Who knows though maybe his wife was fully aware of his sexuality and they were happy for her to turn a blind eye. But still. His behaviour was so damaging to the people who love and care for him as well as to himself.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120848736#Comment_120848736

Humans are rarely one or the other. Huw can be both a professional person well able to communicate what's going on in the world and apply the appropriate gravitas while at the same time engage in online sexual exchanges with men.

We all have parts of ourselves which are not often or if ever displayed.

The difficulty arises when we haven't integrated those parts in to our whole selves and we negate them. Push them away and experience shame.

When instead of being aware that "yes I'm in to x y and z and that's my business and my thing to sort out" you are "if all those people knew this about me what would they think, I can't deal with it and carry this inside".

crusd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120848777#Comment_120848777

If he paid an adult 35k for some erotic content he was the one being exploited.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120848575#Comment_120848575

Yeah he was caught being gay and outed by The Sun. They threw in a whole load of cash for kiddie porn shade just to titilate their readers and get them riled up. That's all we actually know so far, unless I'm missing something.

So, given the limited facts so far, I can't really help feeling he was hard done by. Outed to his wife and children, and the world against his will with the suggestion he's a gay sex offender.

I don't know if you admit to reading the sun, but don't behave like a sun reader. Show a small bit of critical thinking using the available facts. Don't just wait to be spoon-fed outrage.

Oscar_Madison

Another example of the BBC looking after their own.

Like I said earlier, these people wouldn’t speak out about any ordinary person being reported on for these type of allegations - but because he’s their buddy, it’s all “let’s rally round Hew”.

I don’t know why he did, if he did, what he’s alleged to have done - but all I’ll say is he’s getting the same attention and treatment from the media that others might get- whether you believe it’s right or wrong is up to you, but it’s what the media do every day if the week.

There’s a much wider question here around what is the right time to report these type of stories and alleged crimes. The media can’t have one law for their own and another for everyone else and the great unwashed.

My own view is because such allegations are life destroying, nothing should be published that would instigate such speculation and discussion that we’ve seen, until a recognised body such as employer or the police have investigated- and if nothing is found to be untoward, it should remain private and only known by those required to be aware of it.

Im not for cover ups like we’ve seen in the past but I do think the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction now to make up for past neglect- there’s a centre ground that would be better I think.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12297353/Huw-Edwards-friend-blasts-BBC-continuing-investigate-presenter-hospital.html

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849096#Comment_120849096

So what exactly did the BBC do wrong?

It seems they investigated the allegations, found it was not illegal, tried to contact the person who made the allegation and they didn't respond. So they did exactly what you suggested they ought do and you're still cross with them.

It seems you disagree with The Sun running the story having not done their due diligence, but somehow you conclude that's the BBC covering up.

So, what should the BBC have done?

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120848803#Comment_120848803

Would you write similar about a Joe Soap reported as minor article in the morning paper or would you just say “dirty old man” and move on to the next story?

My own belief is that there’s a level of “Spin” coming out here from the media- a man more sinned against than sinning as it were.

We don’t know to what degree his depression has influenced this behaviour- or indeed if any of the stories will be found to be valid as the investigation is ongoing by the employer no less the press- but it’s clear that the vast majority of people don’t behave this way when they have depression.

While I do hope Hew recovers from his current medical episode, I also believe that too much emphasis is being placed on his depression as explaining his alleged behaviour- a very unwise road to go down in my view, given how little anyone knows about his personal private life.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849113#Comment_120849113

Who suggested he turned gay and had an affair with a man because he experienced depression?

I read them as separate facts. He had an affair with a bloke and he experiences depression. He's hospitalised right now experiencing acute depression having been outed as gay and falsely called a big peado by The Sun.

How did you conclude that anyone's saying he had an affair because he was depressed?

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849127#Comment_120849127

It has been suggested on the thread that if he was conflicted about sexuality that could affect mental health.

He was incredibly indiscreet and reckless given his profile. Why? It needs an explanation.

That maybe the 'thrill' or risk of it was a high to balance his lows.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849112#Comment_120849112

It’s not the BBC I’m getting at - the article is about how Hew’s colleagues are criticising the reporting- my only point is that such reporting is done for people far less well known than Hew- where have these people spoken out about non- celebrities or non friends? the reality is they haven’t- you can’t selectively disagree with lines of reporting which happen all the time just because the reporting impacts you personally- if you have issue with how these stories are reported, great then say that- but I really don’t think these BBC colleagues of Hew would be speaking out about the reporting of just any 60+ year old suspected of engaging in sexually motivated behaviour with people 40+ years his junior.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849138#Comment_120849138

If someone said being gay caused the depression, that's one thing. Has anyone said depression caused him to have the affair? You suggested his depression caused his behaviour. You seem to be the only one suggesting that

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849127#Comment_120849127

I never said he had an affair with anyone - that’s News to me. It’s clear to me from the articles I’ve read and the friends of Hew that have been interviewed on TV that the emphasis is overwhelming on Hews depression and not his alleged behaviour.

You’re simplifying things to “a gay affair” by a straight man- you know and I know that’s not what the multiple allegations currently against Hew are alleging here.

If all it was, was a consensual gay affair, we wouldn’t be here talking about it as it wouldn’t have been reported in the first instance.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849156#Comment_120849156

That’s completely false- the poster did not suggest that

Musicrules

That's two married British presenters who've recently been exposed as being gay and into teenage boys. I wonder is this type of thing fairly common?

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849157#Comment_120849157

If its not a consensual gay affair, then what is it?

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849156#Comment_120849156

Ah it's literally a few posts before mine. Seems like a few posters missed it?

I think his indiscretion and recklessness does require an explanation, and this is an angle worth consideration.

Perhaps Huw felt a sense of exhilaration from what he was doing and that helped lift him briefly from bouts of depression. Perhaps he felt empty inside and the interactions with the men took some of this away.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120848803/#Comment_120848803

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849167#Comment_120849167

Yes the did. They said "We don’t know to what degree his depression has influenced this behaviour".

They suggested link between depression and the behaviour.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849282#Comment_120849282

You could also say that there was zero influence on his behaviour- the truth is no one knows as the poster stated. It may have as they have indicated- but it wasn’t a definitive yes it did or no it didn’t.

Water John

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849191#Comment_120849191

We'll organise a McCarthyite witchhunt.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849228#Comment_120849228

There are multiple allegations of various behaviour from at least 4 different people - I’ve no information on any of the truth or otherwise of these allegations- it’s down to the BBC to investigate them- he may well have had a “gay affair” - he may also have had a one off encounter or a virtual only relationship - the truth is no one knows - why are you so sure he had a “gay affair”?

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849113#Comment_120849113

Would you write similar about a Joe Soap reported as minor article in the morning paper or would you just say “dirty old man” and move on to the next story?

Diamonds is one of the few on here who would treat them no differently, and the only reason I know that is because they have done on here on jaysis numerous occasions!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849143#Comment_120849143

you can’t selectively disagree with lines of reporting which happen all the time just because the reporting impacts you personally

You can? Precisely because it affects you personally. I know what you mean, but I wouldn’t expect anyone to be able to objectively and critically examine circumstances when they are personally affected by them. People who can do that are exceptionally rare.

Not defending those journalists or anything, but I’d expect they would be critical of any investigation when it’s their friend is involved in an investigation. They work with him, socialise with him, know him personally, whereas me? First I’d heard of the man, I just imagine he’d say “Don’t you know who I am?” to his target demographic of young men, and they’d be as likely as myself to say “Nope!”

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849191#Comment_120849191

Once you start looking for it, yes! I won't side track the thread by getting into a discussions of the whys and wherefores, probably best suited to the dedicated forum. If you read actors biographies it wasn't just the young actresses who had to fend off roaming hands from certain directors on the stage in the post war period.

I'll just mention this also in passing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorpe_affair

Water John

If he had gay affairs, it's nobodies business. If he was a bit of a sex pest in the workplace, yes it's BBCs business.

homingbird

it was reported that the young lad has a drug addiction & edwards paid him 35k is that true feeding his addiction.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849403#Comment_120849403

I haven't seen confirmation that all the 35k came from Huw Edwards, or whether there were other 'patrons'. If they were they total figure could be higher.

What's the VAT rate on that I wonder :)