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Ex-Downing Street PR Chief ‘disgusted and appalled’ by Huw Edwards’ crimes

19 Nov 2024 3 minute read
Guto Harri on Y Byd ar Bedwar

Former Downing Street PR Chief, Guto Harri has discussed the ‘dark shadow’ over ex-broadcaster Huw Edwards, sharing that he was ‘disgusted and appalled’ by the news.

In the most recent episode of S4C’s Y Byd ar Bedwar, Harri also discussed how Edwards “snubbed” David Dimbleby during lunch on one occasion.

Harri and Edwards worked together at the BBC and became friends, who would often dine together in London.

He recalls one occasion where broadcasting giant David Dimbleby walked in, and saw the pair.

“He waved at us from across the restaurant with a big smile on his face, and I waved back,” says Guto Harri, who was Boris Johnson’s Head of Communications.

“Huw [Edwards] looked around and pretended he hadn’t seen him. He said ‘I never acknowledge him’ just to make David Dimbleby look like a fool.”

“It was all because Huw ultimately wanted his job,” Harri told S4C’s current affairs programme Y Byd ar Bedwar.

Huw Edwards pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children, and received a six-months suspended jail sentence in September 2024.

Edwards “remembered for something awful”

Reacting to Edwards’ crimes, fellow Welshman Guto Harri says he was “disgusted and appalled” by the news.

“What he’s helping to maintain through looking at photos like that is one of the most filthy things anyone can think about.”

“We were all quite proud of him, I was quite fond of him. But he’s done something that we’re not only ashamed of but we’re disgusted by.”

Guto Harri and Huw Edwards were colleagues at the BBC

Huw Edwards, 63, started his career in the BBC in Cardiff, and had a career which spanned more than 40 years.

“The big lesson is to not put someone on such a pedestal where we don’t question the possibility that they have failings.”

“A dark shadow”

Harri continued: “We can’t take away from the fact that Huw was hugely successful with a tremendous ability as a broadcaster, but there’s now a dark shadow over all of that. In the end he will be remembered as someone who did something awful.”

Huw Edwards did not respond to Y Byd ar Bedwar’s request for a response, but last year, before Edwards fronted the King’s Coronation, called David Dimbleby a “gold-plated Rolls-Royce broadcaster”.

“A Board-commissioned independent review of the BBC’s workplace culture is currently underway, with a particular focus on preventing abuse of power and ensuring everyone at the BBC conducts themselves in line with our values.”

A programme on Huw Edwards was broadcasted by ‘Y Byd ar Bedwar’ on S4C on Monday.

You can catch up on BBC iPlayer or S4C Clic. English subtitles available.


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Dr John Ball
Dr John Ball
22 days ago

Er…I don’t give a monkey’s toss for Harri’s view on this or any other matter.
Stick to you imperialist finds in London

Adrian
Adrian
22 days ago
Reply to  Dr John Ball

I disagree – I haven’t slept for months, waiting to find out what Harri thought about this. Now, finally, I’m at peace!

hdavies15
hdavies15
22 days ago
Reply to  Adrian

Edwards’ antics and Harri’s opinions keeping you awake ? A couple of shots of Penderyn or Kentucky’s finest should loosen you up a bit so you can drift off.

Dewi
Dewi
21 days ago

The person in question was 18 years old and had been 18 from the moment they first met—legally, a defined adult. Whether 18 or 80, the law views adulthood the same. It’s clear that this individual had aspirations of becoming a journalist, which is why they reached out to Huw Edwards. At no point was Huw Edwards interacting with a minor. The individual later went to ITV Wales and claimed they were “obviously being groomed.” However, this was a conversation between two adults, albeit with a notable age difference. This raises an important question: where does “grooming” end, and where… Read more »

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