BBC asks Huw Edwards to return the salary he was paid after his arrest

The BBC has asked Huw Edwards to return the salary he was paid during the period following his arrest in November last year, after his guilty plea to charges of having indecent images of children.

It comes after the Culture Secretary had urged the disgraced newsreader to “return his salary”, while she also asked the BBC to look into whether it can recoup an estimated £200,000 paid to Edwards between his arrest and resignation.

A statement from the corporation said if Edwards had “been up front when asked by the BBC about his arrest, we would never have continued to pay him public money” and added he had “undermined trust in the BBC and brought us into disrepute”.

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Evening Standard on socials:

[Jarrosnshajahwh]

He strutted out of court like hed just won the heavyweight title 🤢

[HenryRaeburn]

Why didn't the BBC suspend his pay? Then, if found not guilty, reinstate his salary with back pay to the date it was suspended

[grahamnichols]

I can't believe the BBC thinks Lineker is worth £1M.

[Michelle_Schu-blacka]

Firstly, it's strange to see all the images of him looking like a straight G with the shades and a facial expression that says 'I gives no f's'. The only thing missing is a 'herbal' cigarette in his mouth and _The Next Episode_ playing in the background.

But on a serious note, how can the Beeb ask for money that he was legitimately paid, back? I don't get the legal grounds for that unless the argument is that he should have resigned when the allegations came to light, since he knew he was guilty? But that depends on what his contract said.