BBC presenter Huw Edwards has resigned on “medical advice” nearly a year after he was accused of paying a teenager thousands of pounds for sexually explicit images.
Edwards, who was the BBC’s most prominent news anchor, has been off-air since last July. The decision to resign was made on the basis of medical advice from his doctors, according to a statement released by the BBC on Monday.
The news comes after Edwards was set to be named the broadcaster’s highest-paid presenter. He still earned £439,000 last year despite being off the air since last summer, according to The Times.
At the time of Edward’s suspension, his wife Vicky Flind released a statement about her husband, revealing that he was suffering from severe mental health issues.
“Huw is suffering from serious mental health issues,” she said. “As is well documented, he has been treated for severe depression in recent years.”
Edwards was thrust into a public scandal last summer after The Sun reported allegations from the teenager’s mum, who made the shocking discovery after wondering how they funded their habit. Days of intense social media speculation about the identity of the presenter followed before Edwards was named by his wife.
