±«Óătv News, coverage of allegations against Huw Edwards, July 2023

Summary of complaint

We received complaints from people who felt we gave too much coverage to the allegations against Huw Edwards.


Our response

The allegations published in The Sun raised serious questions about the conduct of a well-known ±«Óătv presenter as well as the ±«Óătv’s initial handling of the complaint made by the family of the young person involved; subsequently the ±«Óătv suspended the presenter and the Metropolitan Police made enquiries into the case.   ±«Óătv News reports on the ±«Óătv independently and impartially in the same way as we would with any other organisation.  We scrutinised and investigated all aspects of the story, including other allegations against the presenter, the journalistic merit of the Sun’s decision to publish, privacy law in the social media age and the reputational implications for the ±«Óătv. 

Legal and privacy considerations, which we explained in detail throughout our coverage, meant we couldn’t name Huw Edwards; it was only following the statement issued by his family that we were in a position to do so.  We transparently explained the reasons why this was the case and that this was a complex story with many of the facts unknown.  We were careful to report with sensitivity, mindful of the public interest as well as the privacy and welfare of all those affected. It was important for us to keep our audience updated with developments, which included statements from the Metropolitan and South Wales police saying they had found no evidence that a criminal offence had been committed.

We believe our coverage of this story was proportionate, reflecting the significance of the issues raised. However, we realise not everyone will agree with the stories we cover and the prominence we give them.