Disgraced former BBC newsreader Huw Edwards has announced a surprising new career move, joining the subscription-based publishing platform Substack. The 64-year-old, who received a six-month suspended sentence in September 2024 after admitting to having 41 indecent images sent to him via WhatsApp, made the announcement on Wednesday, June 24.
Edwards Promises Honesty and Mental Health Focus
Edwards revealed that his articles would "offer thoughts on matters of national and local interest" and "address mental health." Teasing what to expect, he told potential readers: "I am also ready to be unflinchingly honest about the reality of long-term mental illness." Unlike many Substack creators who charge for access, Edwards said he has "no plans for paid subscriptions."
First Public Role Since Downfall
This marks Edwards' first public role since his downfall, which was the subject of a recent drama starring Martin Clunes as Edwards. Edwards issued a statement about the drama, calling it a "one-sided account." He said in a press release: "Other opportunities will arise later this year for me to state my case and to challenge the misleading or fabricated claims made in recent coverage. Serious questions still remain to be answered, and not just by me. It will now take some time for me to produce my own account, and until then, I do not intend to comment any further."
Possible Tell-All Interview
In May, the Sunday Times reported that Edwards was "in talks" with Channel 4 for a tell-all interview to "state his case." A source told the publication Edwards would want to "discuss some of the issues raised in psychiatric assessments before his sentencing." If the interview proceeds, it is expected to be broadcast after mid-September, when Edwards' two-year suspended sentence concludes.
Edwards' Fall from Grace
Edwards was once one of Britain's most-trusted newsreaders, fronting the BBC's News At Ten for decades. In 2022, he made the historic announcement that Queen Elizabeth II had died. Just two years later, he admitted guilt to making indecent images of children. Edwards has, to date, refused to return the £200,000 salary that he was paid by the BBC following his suspension on July 9, 2023, after they were confronted with allegations about him regarding explicit images. He subsequently remained off-air on full pay until he resigned from his post on April 22, 2024.
