BBC News presenter Huw Edwards has been admitted to hospital as he has suffered a 'serious episode' with his mental health, his wife has confirmed.
The presenter's wife, Vicky Flind, confirmed Mr Edwards as the BBC presenter facing allegations over payments for sexually explicit images. It comes after claims made in The Sun that an unnamed news reader paid a young person around £35,000 over three years, from the age of 17, for sexually explicit images.
Ms Flind issued a statement on Wednesday evening 'out of concern for his mental well-being'. She goes on to say that Mr Edwards is 'suffering from serious mental health issues', after a 'well documented' struggle with 'severe depression in recent years'.
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In a statement released to the PA news agency, Vicky Flind, the wife of BBC news reader Huw Edwards said: “In light of the recent reporting regarding the ‘BBC Presenter’ I am making this statement on behalf of my husband Huw Edwards, after what have been five extremely difficult days for our family. I am doing this primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children.
“Huw is suffering from serious mental health issues. As is well documented, he has been treated for severe depression in recent years. The events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters, he has suffered another serious episode and is now receiving in-patient hospital care where he’ll stay for the foreseeable future.
“Once well enough to do so, he intends to respond to the stories that have been published."
Last year, the BBC reported on Mr Edwards' '20-year battle with mental health problems'. The presenter revealed in a documentary on Welsh language broadcaster S4C how the worst bouts of depression have left him 'bedridden' from 2002.
In footage from the documentary, translated from Welsh in captions, he says: "For me, it started in around 2002, I think. I had a phase back then, but I don't quite know why that happened either.
"I went down quite quickly, I didn't understand it. I didn't want to get out of bed, I didn't want to go to work, I didn't want to talk to anyone. Maybe it was to do with the fact that I wasn't completely happy with work at the time.
"But that wouldn't explain how overpowering it was. To tell you the truth, I was frightened because I had never experienced it before.
"And of course, the problem is that you have to maintain a public image. That is, you're a familiar face.
"As I went on the air, a few minutes before six o'clock, I had to literally tell myself 'come on, come on, you'll be fine now, you just have to do it'. And so, I was sort of pushing myself through to be honest.
"Anyway, it eased, and then I was okay. Then, I had a few phases not quite as severe in the years after that.
"And then, the worst one was when the whole thing happened with the doctor saying 'oh, you weigh too much, you don't do any exercise, you're a risk that you're going to die early' and so on...
"Then, I decided to do something."
The documentary shows him speaking about the benefits of boxing for his mental health. He said it provides a 'calmness' and 'relaxation'.
Mr Edwards goes on to say how closely connected his physical and mental health is saying: "If the body is suffering, the mind will suffer."
Speaking to mental health campaigner and columnist Alastair Campbell, Mr Edwards has said: "It's not anxiety, although it includes anxiety, but it tends to hit me in a strong wave and then go away.
"At least I now know when I'm going to enter a phase like that. Your mind goes into a place where you don't want to do anything. You can't make any decisions.
"Things that you usually enjoy, you dread. You come into work and obviously you do a professional job, but you're kind of pushing your way through it.
"And, of course, if it's very bad - as it has been a few times over the course of 20 years - you can't work. During the worst one I had, I couldn't get out of bed."
The BBC also reported how the presenter told Men's Health UK that his depression includes anxiety and tends to "hit in a strong wave" and then go away.
Mr Edwards' wife shared in this evening's statement that her husband was first told there were allegations “being made against him last Thursday”.
She added: “In the circumstances and given Huw’s condition I would like to ask that the privacy of my family and everyone else caught up in these upsetting events is respected. I know that Huw is deeply sorry that so many colleagues have been impacted by the recent media speculation. We hope this statement will bring that to an end.”
Sources have made it clear to the PA news agency that Edwards, 61, has not resigned. The statement comes as the Metropolitan Police said no criminal offence had been committed by the presenter.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We have seen the statement from the police confirming they have completed their assessment and are not taking further action. We’re grateful to them for completing this work at speed.
“The police had previously asked us to pause our fact-finding investigations and we will now move forward with that work, ensuring due process and a thorough assessment of the facts, whilst continuing to be mindful of our duty of care to all involved.”
