Huw Edwards tried to lure young colleague to hotel room moments after presenting Philip’s funeral where Queen sat alone
SHAMELESS Huw Edwards invited a young TV producer to stay in his hotel room at Prince Philip’s funeral, The Sun can reveal today.
The BBC veteran even sent a picture of his licence-payer funded hotel suite, which had one bed, saying: “You could have stayed here.”
But the young male worker, who had been in touch with the star after meeting online, declined the offer which would have been in breach of strict Covid rules that were operating at the time.
The regulations, which barred indoor mixing, meant Queen Elizabeth was famously pictured in mourning and alone at the funeral in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.
Her Majesty cut a stoic and solitary figure — dressed in black and wearing a Covid mask — and could not be comforted by her family during the 50-minute service.
The BBC led coverage of the event, with pictures beamed around the world, and had hundreds of staff working on coverage of the funeral, which included information on the latest Covid regulations.
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But Edwards, 62, who this week pleaded guilty to receiving child sex abuse images from a convicted paedophile, appeared happy to flout the rules, sending messages inviting the producer, in his early 20s, to join him at the hotel near Windsor Castle.
The day before the funeral, he wrote: “Staying there overnight then all day Saturday. If you’re around tomorrow night let me know.”
The next morning — the day of the ceremonial funeral on Saturday April 17, 2021 — he wrote: “Missed a good night.
“You could have stayed here. We had a nice evening after the show.”
He then sent a picture of the room, showing a posh suite with one double bed, wall mirrors, a sofa, chairs and a coffee table.
Alongside it, the BBC star — who had been asked if there was a spare room — wrote: “Not spare but plenty of room.” He then added: “Was unexpected. But very nice.”
The revelation will stun the millions who tuned in to watch the BBC’s coverage of the event.
Edwards, who was wearing a black suit and tie, anchored four hours of BBC coverage. He was joined by guests including Sir David Attenborough, Gyles Brandreth and Alan Titchmarsh.
After the service, he told viewers: “It delivered a very powerful effect and it certainly affected everyone here.”
But his behind-the-scenes invite came after weeks of messages between Edwards and the freelance TV producer, which started when the man followed him on Instagram.
In a pattern of behaviour he followed with others, Edwards spoke to him on the site — before asking to switch the chat to WhatsApp.
Married dad-of-five Edwards sent the first WhatsApp message introducing himself on April 13, 2021, simply saying: “Me.”
When the TV worker replied, “Hello, hello”, Edwards swiftly responded, saying: “Hello beauty.”
He then followed up, asking the man: “You live with family?”
When the man said he lived in a house-share, Edwards said: “So I could pop in to have some tea?”
Edwards — who had a family home in Dulwich, South London, he shared with TV producer wife Vicky Flind, 58 — regularly invited the young BBC worker to a flat in the City of London.
He said: “It started off friendly. I thought it would be good to be in touch with him and potentially to meet him for career advice and hoped he might give me some help.
FALL FROM GRACE
By Ed Southgate
Pervert presenter Huw Edwards had a glittering BBC career and was even tipped for a knighthood before his rapid fall from grace.
He was News at Ten anchor when he bowed and shook hands with Queen Elizabeth II as she opened the Beeb’s new Broadcasting House in London in June 2013.
Edwards held the nation’s hand through monumental events including the Queen’s death and funeral in 2022, the coronation last year of King Charles and numerous general election night specials.
The veteran broadcaster, 62, was widely rumoured to be in line for a knighthood for “holding it together” when announcing the Queen’s death.
But after The Sun exposed his sick behaviour, he quit the BBC after 40 years and now faces jail.
“But he wanted to meet in private and tried to get me to go to his flat. I thought it was a bit odd and very inappropriate given his position and the age gap.
“He even invited me to his hotel room at Prince Philip’s funeral.
“I thought that was incredibly inappropriate and also against the Covid rules, which I was abiding by.
“I batted off the invitation — but he just seemed to think he was above it all.”
A week later, Edwards appeared to get annoyed with the young producer for not inviting him out or travelling to meet him.
I find it deeply unpleasant that he was messaging me at the same time he was receiving these images
Young producer
When the young man did not respond immediately to a WhatsApp message, Edwards fired off one saying “chatty” and another saying “very chatty”.
Edwards also sent a picture of himself in the News at Ten studio and said he would see him, “when you decide to make yourself available. Unlike last Friday”.
And when told the producer was in a club with a pal, he messaged: “Where was my invitation?”
As the pair later talked about meeting for a drink, Edwards said: “Well OK but these opportunities don’t come up very often that’s all I’m saying.”
They talked about meeting in a café or bar near where the BBC worker lived and Edwards suggested: “Or I can come to yours.”
He also told him “I don’t fancy wandering” and added: “I like privacy and no prying eyes.”
In a May 2021 message, when restrictions eased, he wrote: “Come to the flat. I have place til Fri if you’re in the mood. X”
Later, in November 2021, when the decades-younger man and BBC veteran still had not met, Edwards said: “Stop sulking and see me.”
Then, in January 2022, Edwards said: “Well I’m sorry but this went wrong simply because you didn’t want to meet at the flat.” The pair did not end up meeting and their WhatsApp chat tailed off.
The young producer is one of a string of individuals to whom Edwards sent messages.
And, shockingly, he said the messages came after he had already suffered harassment from another senior male BBC employee.
He reported advances from that member of staff — which included inappropriate videos and messages — but says he was “fobbed off”.
The freelance producer no longer works at the BBC, leaving, in part, because of the culture at the corporation. He has given evidence to the BBC’s internal misconduct investigation into Edwards.
He came forward after we last year revealed that a then-unnamed TV presenter had paid a teen £35,000 for explicit images.
The producer said: “I worked in TV, so followed Huw on Instagram.
“He was someone to look up to and respect. But he obviously spotted me and then he slid into my direct messages.
“To start with, it was friendly and back and forth. I was in TV and wanted advice.
“I now find what he has done disgusting, shocking and upsetting. I find it deeply unpleasant that he was messaging me at the same time he was receiving these images.
“I also think the BBC should take responsibility for its actions and apologise. They have not been transparent with what they’ve done.
“And when you guys came out with the first story, he was able to use mental health as an excuse to hide away.
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“But he was behaving like this at a time when he was well enough to present the Ten O’Clock News. I am glad that, in the end, we stopped messaging as I was not interested in doing what he wanted.”
The BBC declined to comment.
BBC's statement in full
“The BBC is shocked to hear the details which have emerged in court today.
“There can be no place for such abhorrent behaviour and our thoughts are with all those affected. The police have confirmed that the charges are not connected to the original complaint raised with the BBC in the summer of 2023.
“Nevertheless in the interests of transparency we think it important to set out some points about events of the last year.
“In November 2023, whilst Mr Edwards was suspended, the BBC as his employer was made aware in confidence that he had been arrested on suspicion of serious offences and released on bail whilst the police continued their investigation.
“At the time, no charges had been brought and the BBC had also been made aware of significant risk to his health.
"Today we have learnt of the conclusion of the police process in the details as presented to the court.
“If at any point during the period Mr Edwards was employed by the BBC he had been charged, the BBC had determined it would act immediately to dismiss him. In the end, at the point of charge he was no longer an employee of the BBC.
“During this period, in the usual way, the BBC has kept its corporate management of these issues separate from its independent editorial functions. We want to reiterate our shock at Mr Edwards’ actions and our thoughts remain with all those affected.”