Tim Davie Questions Whether BBC Could Have Been More “Muscular” On Huw Edwards $260,000 Payment
deadline.comHuw Edwards‘ sentencing hearing is less than a week away and BBC boss Tim Davie has been questioning whether the corporation did the right thing in paying him nearly £200,000 ($260,000) between his arrest in November 2023 and his leaving several months later.
Speaking to the Communications and Digital Committee this afternoon, the Director General questioned whether the BBC could have been “more muscular in the situation with regard to payment.” He said several times that he has been “reflecting” on the situation, with the corporation having been criticized for keeping the now-disgraced former news anchor on the payroll for such a long time before he eventually left and was then charged.
Edwards earned his biggest pay packet for five years last year. “It wasn’t an easy decision, it was really difficult getting the balance right because the arrest had been made [in November 2023] and there were no charges,” said Davie. “I even looked at the gov.uk guidelines on employee rights during suspension and the standard practice is to pay.
I welcome the idea we look at that policy. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and with that you think, ‘Could you be more muscular in the situation with regard to payment?’.” The BBC has made a formal request for the £200,000 and “expects to make progress and get an answer soon,” according to Davie.
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