Huw Edwards (, ; born 18 August 1961) is a Welsh journalist, presenter and newsreader. Until his suspension in July 2023, he was the lead presenter of BBC News at Ten, the flagship evening news programme of the BBC.
Edwards has anchored BBC coverage of state and international events, and was occasionally seen as relief or as chief presenter on BBC News at Six, BBC News at One, BBC Weekend News and Daily Politics, as well as on the BBC's international news channel BBC World News. He has presented the BBC's coverage of major royal events, including the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, the Diamond and Platinum Jubilees of Elizabeth II, the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the funeral of Prince Philip, the death and state funeral of Elizabeth II and the coronation of Charles III and Camilla. He also presented BBC News at Five, which was broadcast on the BBC News channel from 2006 until 2020. He was the lead presenter for the general election coverage in December 2019.
In July 2023, Edwards was suspended by the BBC following allegations of sexual misconduct made in The Sun. The South Wales Police and the Metropolitan Police found no evidence of criminal conduct. Edwards was reported to be in hospital, suffering from depression.
Early life and education
Huw Edwards was born on 18 August 1961 in Bridgend, Glamorgan, Wales, into a Welsh-speaking family, and, from the age of four, was brought up in Llangennech, near Llanelli. His father, Hywel Teifi Edwards, was a Plaid Cymru and Welsh language activist, and an author and academic, who was research professor of Welsh-language Literature at University College, Swansea. Edwards's mother, Aerona Protheroe, taught at Llanelli's Ysgol Gyfun y Strade for 30 years. He has one sister, Meinir.
He was educated at Llanelli Boys' Grammar School. In 1978 he applied to Hertford College, Oxford, but was rejected. He graduated with a first-class honours degree in French from University College, Cardiff, in 1983. After his first degree, he started postgraduate work at Cardiff University in Medieval French, before becoming a reporter for local radio station Swansea Sound and then joining the BBC.
In 2018, Edwards was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree, with a thesis on Welsh Nonconformist chapels in Llanelli and London, by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. His doctoral thesis was titled O Dinopolis i Fetropolis: arolwg o lanw a thrai achosion Ymneilltuol Cymraeg yn Llanelli a Llundain, 1714–2014 ("From Tinopolis to Metropolis: A Survey of the Ebb and Flow of Welsh Dissident Causes in Llanelli and London, 1714–2014"). He said, "It's 12 years since I was here to receive an honorary fellowship which was a great day but today is an even bigger day because I am receiving my PhD after 7 agonising years of hard work on the history of the Welsh chapels in the 18th century."
Career
BBC News
Edwards spent a short time on work experience at the commercial radio station Swansea Sound, before joining the BBC as a news trainee in 1984. In 1986, he became parliamentary correspondent for BBC Wales.
Between 1994 and January 2003, Edwards presented the BBC Six O'Clock News. During this period, this was the most watched news programme in Britain.
In January 2003, Edwards became the main presenter of the Ten O'Clock News on BBC One, the corporation's flagship news broadcast. He has also presented various special programmes such as the Festival of Remembrance. He led the BBC commentary team at the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2012 London Olympics and 2014 Commonwealth Games. He has presented several election specials, including coverage of the 2007 National Assembly for Wales election for BBC Wales and also the BBC coverage of the results of the 2008 United States elections and the inauguration of Barack Obama. He was formerly chief political correspondent for BBC News, and spent more than 14 years reporting politics from Westminster across a range of BBC programmes.