BBC Presented Scandal: Huw Edwards named by his wife as BBC presenter accused of paying teen for pictures

The wife of newsreader HuwEdwards has said he is “suffering from serious mental health issues” and is receiving “in-patient hospital care” as she named him as the BBC presenter facing allegations over payments for sexually explicit images.

Following days of speculation as to the identity of the BBC presenter at the centre of the allegations, Vicky Flind said in a statement that she was speaking out on her husband’s behalf.

Jon Sopel has sent his best wishes to HuwEdwards who has been named by his wife as the BBC presenter who faced claims from The Sun newspaper over alleged payments for sexually explicit images to a young person.

Earlier on Wednesday, former BBC News North America editor Sopel said he did not agree that the then-anonymous presenter should come forward, saying on his The News Agents podcast: “I think that whoever the presenter is needs to work it out himself, I cannot begin to imagine the sort of pressure, the sort of anguish, turmoil that is going on in his life.”

Following the announcement that Edwards was the man involved, Sopel tweeted: “This is an awful and shocking episode, where there was no criminality, but perhaps a complicated private life.

“That doesn’t feel very private now. I hope that will give some cause to reflect. They really need to. I wish ⁦@thehuwedwards⁩ well.”

He added: “Dear @BBCRadio4 @BBCNews, Well done on handling the breaking news about @thehuwedwards and the fact that he’s now being treated in hospital – but to then straight off back of that into a report on him facing fresh allegations of misconduct? That was just terrible.”