Huw Edwards resigns from honorary posts

Huw Edwards was the BBC's most senior news presenter before his crimes were revealed

Disgraced former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has resigned from his two honorary posts at Cardiff University.

Edwards, who has admitted making indecent images of children, was expelled from the Gorsedd of the Bards - one of the highest accolades in Welsh public life - on Thursday.

His membership of the Eisteddfod was also terminated, while Swansea University and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) have both confirmed they have withdrawn his Honorary Fellowship.

The 62-year-old sex offender has now resigned as Honorary Professor and from his Honorary Fellowship, a Cardiff University spokesperson has said.

There have been calls for organisations to immediately cut ties with the disgraced former BBC news presenter.

After his guilty plea, Cardiff University had said it was "actively reviewing procedures in relation to the honorary fellowship award and his position as an honorary professor".

Bangor University also said it was reviewing an honorary fellowship it had granted him.

The Learned Society of Wales, the country's national scholarly academy, also said it was reviewing Edwards's fellowship, to which he was elected in May 2023, in the wake of his guilty plea.

The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama said: "Following a unanimous vote by the College's Board of Trustees, a decision has been taken to withdraw Huw Edwards' Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama."

Swansea University confirmed Edwards no longer has an honorary role, adding that it had "no further comment on this matter".

Huw Edwards was inducted into the Gorsedd of Bards during the National Eisteddfod in Tregaron in 2022

Last week, Edwards admitted having 41 indecent images of children, which had been sent to him by another man on WhatsApp, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard.

They included seven category A images, the most serious classification - two of which showed a child aged between about seven and nine.

Police later revealed the man who sent the images to Edwards was a convicted paedophile.

Until last year, Edwards was one of the main presenters on BBC One's News at Ten and often fronted coverage of major national events.

He resigned from the BBC in April "on the basis of medical advice from his doctors" after unrelated allegations he paid a young person for sexually-explicit photos.

Police found no evidence of criminal behaviour in that matter.

He will next appear in court on September 16.