BBC probe into Huw Edwards allegations could take 'months,' director-general says

BBC director-general Tim Davie says the corporation's fact-finding investigation into the allegations against Huw Edwards could take "weeks or a couple of months or even longer".

Mr Davie, who was being questioned by the House Of Lords communications and digital committee, said it is "difficult to give a precise time" because of the complexity of the allegations and the BBC's "duty of care concerns" to all parties involved.

The director-general was questioned alongside BBC acting chairwoman Dame Elan Closs Stephens, who said the corporation was under "huge pressure" to identify the presenter, facing allegations over payments for sexually explicit images.

Last week, Edwards was named publicly by his wife as the presenter at the centre of the allegations, in a statement issued on his behalf.

The Metropolitan Police force has ended its investigation into the claims, confirming that no criminal offence has been committed.

Dame Elan said she was "informed immediately" following the allegations, which were first reported in The Sun newspaper, and that the BBC's board met twice once the claims were made.

She said: "We had a duty to act with some calm and rationality in the face of lack of rationality and lack of calm.

"There were an awful lot of questions that could not be answered.

"There was a huge pressure to disclose the name of somebody to whom we had a duty of care."

There was also a duty of privacy to the young person and their family concerned in the "maelstrom," she added.

"So, I was on the one hand seeking to establish the right of the board to oversee what was happening, but at the same time, I was trying my best to make for a calm and rational discussion of the issue before we all got carried away in what could have been very wrong directions."

Mr Davie also said his "main priority" in relation to the BBC investigation was "to be fair and get all the information into that process and act judiciously".

He continued: "We are in the process of looking at those facts, we are keen to receive any information, we want to understand anything that is out there.

"It's difficult to give a precise time on that because you have to go though that diligently, assess the information, there are duty of care concerns within that.

"Because I'm not [in] control of all the variables that could take weeks or a couple of months or even longer, depending on what we get and managing the individuals concerned flawlessly."

Mr Davie confirmed that, since the allegations were made, the BBC had been in touch with the complainant, adding the corporation wants "to be engaged and appropriately listening and understanding their concerns".

Edwards' wife, Vicky Flinds, said in a statement issued on the 61-year-old's behalf that he is "receiving in-patient hospital care" after "suffering from serious mental health issues".

The statement added that once Edwards is "well enough to do so, he intends to respond to the stories that have been published".

The presenter was last seen on BBC One’s News At Ten on July 5 when he co-presented a special edition live from Edinburgh as the King was honoured in the Scottish capital.

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