Shock at revelation Huw Edwards entered Eisteddfod poetry competition
Nation.Cymru staff
There was shock and anger after it was revealed disgraced former BBC presenter Huw Edwards had competed in the poetry competition at this year’s National Eisteddfod.
Welsh language news service Newyddion S4C broke the story revealing that the ex-newsreader submitted his entry under the pseudonym ‘Gelyn’, meaning ‘Enemy’ in Welsh.
All entries for the competition, for which the winner receives the ‘Crown’, are entered under pseudonyms to ensure that judges can make decisions without knowing the identities of writers.
Edwards said the poem was written as a personal tribute to his late father.
On his Substack, he wrote: “I drew inspiration from one of the main competition themes set for the 2026 National Eisteddfod of Wales: the theme is Adnabod (‘Knowing’).
“The poem is above all a personal tribute to my late father, Hywel Teifi Edwards, the pre-eminent Eisteddfod historian and an authority on the cultural condition of Victorian Wales.”
A prominent actress and survivor of childhood sexual abuse criticised the former broadcaster Huw Edwards after hearing the news.
Calling for a review of the Eisteddfod competition rules—which allow entrants to compete under a pseudonym – Sera Cracroft – an actress in Pobol y Cwm who has spoken openly about her experience of childhood sexual violence – said that seeing Edwards win the competition and be crowned on stage would have been “catastrophic”.
Since Sera Cracroft made her comments, Newyddion S4C received an email from Huw Edwards, in which he wrote:
“The poem was a tribute to my father. Nothing more, nothing less. There was no hope in the world of me winning the competition, and I knew that. It was necessary to correct the toxic narrative promoted by the media two years ago.
“It was not a poem for the nauseatingly self-righteous Welsh speakers—Sera among them—who seize every opportunity to spout off thoughtlessly on every subject under the sun.
“She and her ilk are far too ready to ignore the destructive effects of mental illness. In that respect, they are true to the tradition of London tabloid newspapers.”
Edwards received a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, in September 2024 after pleading guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. He was also required to register as a sex offender for seven years.
He admitted accessing 41 images of children, including seven images of the most serious category.
Yesterday – the day before the Crowning ceremony at the Garreg Las Eisteddfod – Edwards published a blog post on Substack stating that he had “tried to write a poem” for the first time in his life, having been “inspired” by the competition’s theme, “Adnabod” (Recognition/Identity).
It was confirmed today that judges had evaluated his poem and placed it in the third category.
Sera Cracroft told Newyddion S4C: “It’s a shock, to be honest, and also very disappointing. Huw has been found guilty of creating images of young children—the worst kind of images imaginable. For the child in those images, the impact lasts forever; it is what is known as a ‘life sentence’.
“Abuse is rapidly shifting into the digital realm; I don’t think Huw realises just how appalling it is that he sought the Crown.
“Had he won the Crown, the image of him being crowned before his country would have caused great pain to many survivors.
“Perhaps Huw could show more humility and try to help others, contribute in some way, or learn more about the offences of which he has been convicted.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the National Eisteddfod said: “We have a process in place ensuring that no one, including the adjudicator, knows in advance who has competed.
“After every Eisteddfod, we undergo an evaluation period to ensure our processes are appropriate—and this year will be no different.”
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I feel great sympathy for those who have suffered sexual abuse as children and those who continue to suffer that trauma . I think that Huw Edward’s responses to those who objected to his submitting a poem reflects badly on him and personal attacks are not a great look . However I am not defending Huw Edwards but he does have a right to submit his poem to the competition. Nobody would know who submitted it as it would be a pseudonym. It would be up to the committee then once the poet has been revealed to decide what to… Read more »
I would suggest that those skeletons don’t usually extend to pics of children being sexually abused…
Just can’t read the room, can he? His arrogance is outstanding. The Eisteddfod have not played this well either. They should have rejected the entry. What next? Netanyahu or the Ayotollah to knock up an entry on Google Translate?
That is unfair to the Eisteddfod. If submitted according to the rules as an anonymous piece, only if he had won would the Eisteddfod know the poet’s identity and be able to act as to whether or not to disqualify. Hopefully the outcome would be to put H.E. in his place once and for all.
After justice is served, the idea is that the individual returns to society a better person. As the law stands that is the intent. If you feel aspects of the return should be excludec stipulate them.
If however total exclusion from society is what is preferred the you must consider capital punishment as the only option. That however, is out of bounds to humanity.
That is the principal. But when crimes involve child pornography, coercion of vulnerable young men etc then it is best for all if the perp just keeps their head down and gets on with their life as best they can, rather than blatantly trying to ingratiate themselves back into Welsh culture. This sort of thing sullies us all. He should keep the lowest of profiles forevermore, rather than seeking publicity.
What does this say about those who run the vanity show?
You claim the slap on the wrist he got was justice, you’re deluded.
What does this say about those who run the vanity show?
They can’t reject it until the adjudication has been drafted. He didn’t win, there was no way anyone would know he was the competitor unless he declared it himself. Making a point of rejecting the work would have drawn attention to this anyway – they’re damned if they do and damned if they don’t.
Caradoc Evans was spot on about the Welsh he lived amongst; you can’t trust a word they say.
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.#
I state again, Welsh politics encompasses a range of ideologies that are marked by bigoted authoritarianism, ultranationalism, radical ethnic nationalism, and nativism.
He has no sense of shame? Huw Edwards actually thinks he’s a victim not those poor children abused in the sickening videos he downloaded and shared with his fellow paedophiles.
Wales has lost the plot.There was shock and anger after it was revealed disgraced former BBC presenter Huw Edwards had competed in the poetry competition at this year’s National Eisteddfod.Now this, Welsh vanity insanity. Perhaps Creative Wales would like to get creative on filling potholes, getting waiting lists down and keeping essential services in Bronglais hospital, amongst other other things that desperately needs doing across Ceredigion, and indeed across the whole of Wales. Another vanity project, Plaid have learnt well from their predecessors on how to waste money! While NHS lists rise. Hospitals crumble but it’s okay as long as… Read more »
“the destructive effects of mental illness” What is he implying here? Blaming his actions due to mental illness? What about the many people who struggle every day with serious mental illness that is still stigmatised today? He should crawl back under his rock and maybe get some more rehabilitation as he doesn’t seem to have learnt any remorse. Probably due to avoiding a jail term.