Daily Mail: Huw Edwards resigns from the BBC on 'medical advice'

Story from Daily Mail:

Huw Edwards has today resigned from his £439,000-a-year job at the BBC because of 'medical advice' from his doctors, the corporation has revealed.

Britain's most famous newsreader, 62, has been off air since last July.

The BBC said today that its star anchor, who broke the news of Queen Elizabeth II's death and presented coverage of most major national events including elections and the Coronation, has left the BBC on health grounds.

A corporation spokesman said: 'Huw Edwards has today resigned and left the BBC. After 40 years of service, Huw has explained that his decision was made on the basis of medical advice from his doctors.

'The BBC has accepted his resignation which it believes will allow all parties to move forward'.

Edwards has never publicly commented in the nine months since he was suspended. MailOnline understands he received no pay off from the BBC - but had been paid his £439,000-a-year salary while he was suspended.

He leaves with immediate effect - but is not known if the BBC's internal workplace investigation into whether Edwards brought the broadcaster into disrepute was completed.

Huw was the corporation's highest paid newsreader, with a pay bracket of £435,000 - £439,999 in the year 2022/2023, according to the corporation's most recent annual report.

This was up from £410,000 - £414,000 the year before, putting him fourth on the 2022/23 list.

TV executive and former Editor-in-Chief and Chief Executive of ITN, Stewart Purvis, said today: 'Huw Edwards has been paid half a million pounds a year to do nothing, I don’t think that situation could have continued any longer.

'They’re saying that it’s at the request of Huw Edwards but there will be relief across the BBC that this situation has been resolved because frankly it has become embarrassing for the BBC quite how long it was taking to sort it out.

He continued: ‘Looking at the high, high profile of Huw Edwards, looking at all the other knock-on issues, for instance, who is going to present the BBC’s election night programme?'.

He said Huw's departure today was a 'successful outcome for what has been an extraordinarily damaging saga for the BBC.

‘You can’t have the fact one of the most trusted men in Britain turns out really to not be worthy of that trust.’

Huw's exit came as the BBC has a busy year of news which includes several elections, huge sporting events and the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine.

Incoming BBC chairman Samir Shah, made this point to MPs ahead of his appointment last year.

He said: 'Next year is likely to be election year. It is BBC journalism's World Cup . . . We need to be match fit. We need to have figured out everything from studio debates to allocation of airtime.'

Clive Myrie, 59, has been tipped as the news presenter who could front the BBC's election coverage and succeed Edwards as the News at Ten anchor.

Sophie Raworth, Laura Kuenssberg and Nick Robinson are also in contention to host election night.

Edwards, who until today was still reportedly receiving his full £439,000 salary, had seemed more accomplished than ever in the months preceding his suspension, earning lavish plaudits for his commentary on Queen Elizabeth's funeral.

There were even calls for him to be knighted.

Declaring that the idea 'embarrassed' him, Edwards prepared with trademark rigour for his role leading the BBC's coronation coverage. 'I'd be lying if I said I didn't practise in my own mind,' he explained.

'I'm often on the Tube thinking, 'What would I say if this happened?' or, 'What's the best turn of phrase for this?'

He also took care to ensure that he was in peak physical condition, resuming the punishing boxing sessions that saw him shed three stone in 2019 under the supervision of former light welterweight champion, Clinton McKenzie.

'I am going to have to lose a stone, no question,' said Edwards, who, aside from his BBC salary, raked in £25,000 in a single month in 2022 from speaking engagements. 'I am just a bit too tight around the waist.'