BBC chiefs is facing fresh criticism that some of its reporting on the allegations surrounding Huw Edwards was “distasteful”.
Emily Maitlis argued that new claims against the star presenter should have been initially reported to the corporation’s HR department “rather than turned” into a news story.
On her podcast The News Agents, Maitlis — who worked for the BBC for more than two decades — spoke out after Newsnight reported on Wednesday’s claims from one current and one former BBC worker, who said they had received “inappropriate messages” from Edwards, “some late at night and signed off with kisses”.
Both said there was “a reluctance among junior staff to complain to managers about the conduct of high-profile colleagues in case it adversely affected their careers,” the programme said.
Edwards, 61, who is in hospital having suffered a severe mental health episode, has not been able to respond to the allegations against him.
Maitlis, a former host of Newsnight, backed the division between the BBC’s corporate and editorial sides.
But she added: “There is something a bit distasteful. If you know this stuff about a colleague, why isn’t your first duty to then go to HR or a senior manager... or to say I think this is going on...rather than to turn it into a news story.”
The corporation said BBC News had “reported on itself as it would on any other media organisation — with transparency and independence”.
In a statement, it added: “This has been a complex and fast-moving story involving serious allegations about a high-profile public figure, who was suspended by his employer and was at one point the subject of a police investigation, which is of great interest to our audiences. There was a clear public interest in covering it.”
However, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said it was not clear if the media had got the “tricky” decision right over privacy and public interest.She stressed it was good that Edwards and his family were now “getting some space”.
Asked on LBC radio what the media needs to learn from the last week, she added: “This is the tricky thing with journalism, to get that line between privacy and public interest and whether they got that right I’m sure will come out.”
BBC director-general Tim Davie will be questioned on Tuesday by the Lords communications committee about the Edwards furore.
He has ordered a review to “assess how some complaints are red flagged up the organisation” following the allegations a high-profile presenter, now known to be Edwards, paid a young person who sent him explicit images.
The BBC is currently conducting “fact-finding investigations” into claims about the veteran broadcaster, after he was named by his wife Vicky Flind on Wednesday night. She issued a statement to say her husband is “suffering from serious mental health issues” and is receiving in-patient hospital care.
The Met have said there is no information to indicate a criminal offence had been committed by Edwards and no further police action will be taken “at this time”, allowing an internal BBC investigation to resume.
Edwards is the BBC’s highest-paid newsreader, on £435,000-£439,999.
His long-time colleague Jon Sopel has said he was “furious” at The Sun’s coverage and “not overly impressed with the BBC’s coverage either”.
Mental health charities have called for Edwards to be given the support and treatment he needs.
