Former BBC broadcaster Huw Edwards is set to retire on an eye-watering £300,000 per year BBC pension - despite the presenter having admitted to accessing indecent images of children. Back in July, Edwards admitted at Westminster Magistrates' Court to three charges of "making" indecent photographs of children after he was sent 41 illegal images by convicted paedophile Alex Williams. Seven of those images were the most serious type - category A.

The court heard Edwards told Williams “go on” when asked if he wanted “naughty pics and vids” of somebody described as “yng.” Chief Magistrate, district judge Paul Goldspring told Edwards that his reputational and financial damage was the “natural consequence" of his behaviour. Meanwhile the BBC said in a statement that Edwards had “betrayed not just the BBC, but audiences who put their trust in him” – adding that the corporation was “appalled by his crimes”.

Before Edwards resigned on medical advice he was the BBC's highest-paid newsreader, with a pay bracket of between £475,000 and £479,999 for the year 2023/24, according to the BBC's annual report. The 63-year-old started his career at the BBC in 1984 as a trainee. His pension will be part-funded by the license fee payer. The former BBC News at 10 presenter was handed a six months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Edwards resigned from the BBC in April "on the basis of medical advice from his doctors" after unrelated allegations that he paid a young person for sexually explicit images - however no illegality was found in this case. However, before Edwards formally resigned, the BBC still paid him a salary of £200,000. This despite being made aware in confidence that Edwards was being investigated over indecent images of children. Speaking at the Royal Television Society (RTS) London conference, BBC director-general Tim Davie confirmed they have asked for the money back.

Davie said “We decided that pay continues until someone is charged. I think it was the right decision based on current policy." He added: "We want the money back and we've asked for it back, and we're waiting to hear back. There's been discussions between legal teams and I believe that's as far as we can go at this point."