Huw Edwards invited a young man to his dressing room at the Royal Albert Hall where he was hosting the Festival of Remembrance attended by Prince Charles, Camilla and William.
The BBC veteran messaged him: ‘Come and see me,’ and ‘Backstage. Dressing Room 4’ as the former voice-to-the-nation waited to present the Royal British Legion’s stirring annual tribute to victims of war.
The event honours the Armed Forces community for their service and sacrifice, and was performed in the presence of the now King Charles, his wife, Prince William and Kate, the Princess Royal and her husband Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent in the royal box.
The former BBC newscaster saw his 40‑year career spectacularly implode this week when he pleaded guilty to having the most severe type of child sex abuse pictures on his phone.
Edwards, married with five children, liked to swap messages with younger men and has been accused of ‘hiding in plain sight’ at the corporation.
Huw Edwards invited a young man to his dressing room at the Royal Albert Hall where he was hosting the Festival of Remembrance
The event honours the Armed Forces community for their service and sacrifice, and was performed in the presence of the now King Charles , his wife, Prince William and Kate, the Princess Royal and her husband Sir Tim Laurence , the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent in the royal box
The Mail told yesterday how Edwards, 62, suggested to one young producer – whom we are naming ‘Charlie’ – he could have stayed in his plush BBC-funded hotel suite on the eve of Prince Philip‘s funeral in Windsor during the Covid restrictions of April 2021.
It was around this time that Edwards started to receive indecent images from a South Wales paedophile, Westminister Magistrates’ Court heard this week.
Today Charlie reveals how he was invited to the BBC star’s dressing room at the Royal Albert Hall seven months later.
Backstage prior to the performance on November 13, 2021, the day before Remembrance Sunday, Edwards was getting ready when Charlie, with whom he had exchanged WhatsApp messages for months, told him he had tickets to the Festival, prompting Edwards to offer the dressing room invitation.
‘Easier said than done,’ messaged back Charlie. ‘I have general-admission tickets.’
Edwards replied: ‘Well, tell me when you’re here.’
Huw Edwards arriving at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday July 31
However the pair did not meet, and Edwards went on stage at 9pm to compere the spectacular, which featured the Band of the Royal Marines, the Royal Air Force and the Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir.
A log of WhatsApp messages, seen by the Mail, shows that 17 minutes after the finale, Edwards sent a photo of himself on stage to Charlie.
It was a copy of the Royal British Legion’s social media post saying: ‘Thank you @TheHuwEdwards for being such a great host!’
Edwards wrote: ‘Was expecting you to knock my door…I was really looking forward to meeting you actually.’
Charlie now says: ‘I thought it was friendly but, looking back, it feels totally inappropriate. It shows a lack of respect and disregard for the importance of the occasion.
‘When I saw all the stuff that has come out this week, I thought this is just all so unbelievable. It just keeps getting worse for him.’
Charlie also revealed that Edwards messaged him again after being detained by detectives for having child sex abuse images on his phone.
The Mail told yesterday how Edwards, 62, suggested to one young producer – whom we are naming ‘Charlie’ – he could have stayed in his plush BBC-funded hotel suite on the eve of Prince Philip ‘s funeral in Windsor during the Covid restrictions of April 2021
The former BBC newscaster saw his 40‑year career spectacularly implode this week when he pleaded guilty to having the most severe type of child sex abuse pictures on his phone
At the time, few knew police were investigating him. But behind the scenes, the £439,000-a-year BBC veteran was apparently desperately trying to remember who he had met.
The message seen by the Mail, sent on April 6 – five months after his secret arrest – read: ‘Hi. Really sorry for the intrusion. I’m just dealing with some housekeeping. My brain is a bit foggy. Did we ever meet in the distant past? I can’t remember if we did. Please jog my memory if so. Thanks.’
Charlie told the Mail: ‘I had a lot of conversations with Huw. It is very odd that he can’t seem to remember.
‘This message arrived out of the blue, and it was like he had no idea what was going on. He did not seem to remember any of his actions.
‘It just seems utterly bizarre he would send something like that, saying his brain was foggy. He was clearly in such a mess that he just couldn’t remember which guy was which.
‘I find it remarkable – he was able read the news every night OK pitch perfect, yet couldn’t remember who anyone was.’
As well as Charlie, who was in his early 20s, the Mail is aware of other young men with whom married father-of-five Edwards was exchanging messages.
