gb news. >> it's 9:00. this is dan wootton tonight. with me, mark dolan . and breaking this dolan. and breaking this evening, the bbc presenter at the centre of the alleged sex pics scandal is the broadcaster's star news anchor, very much the face of the bbc. hugh elle edwards this , of hugh elle edwards this, of course, confirmed by his wife late this afternoon. in a statement released on her husband's behalf, vicky flint said that hugh is now suffering from serious mental health issues and is receiving inpatient hospital care . so for inpatient hospital care. so for the next two hours, we will bnng the next two hours, we will bring you exclusive live reaction to edward's finally

being named with analysis from bbc legends like its former chief political correspondent john sergeant and ex tory mp and beeb broadcaster edwina currie, plus , i'll ask my superstar plus, i'll ask my superstar panel if hugh edwards was the victim of a media witch hunt or if celebrities , private lives if celebrities, private lives are really any of our business. tonight, i'm joined by christine hamilton , adam brooks and hamilton, adam brooks and matthew lhasa and free speech champion toby young will tackle the left's attempt to use this scandal as a stick to beat the free press with words . the sun free press with words. the sun reporting in the national interest . reporting in the national interest. did reporting in the national interest . did they act interest. did they act correctly? i'll be asking toby before the end of the show. we will ask all the tough questions tonight and we'll bring you tomorrow's front pages. hot off the press as well. don't forget , my digest on its way. my , my digest is on its way. my reaction, this is dan wootton tonight with me, mark dolan. let's go .

let's go. on a momentous day and an exploding media story. on a momentous day and an exploding media story . you are exploding media story. you are watching gb news. britain's news channel, my first on air reaction to the breaking news that huw edwards has been named as the star at the heart of this bbc sex scandal. that's my digest straight after the headunes digest straight after the headlines with rory smith . headlines with rory smith. >> thank you very much, mark. well, as you've been hearing , well, as you've been hearing, huw edwards has been named as the bbc presenter at the centre of the broadcaster's controversy. in a statement , his controversy. in a statement, his wife, vicky flind, says hugh is suffering from serious mental health issues . as is well health issues. as is well documented, he has been treated for severe depression in recent years. the events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters he has suffered another serious episode and is now

receiving in—patient hospital care, where he'll stay for the foreseeable future , she foreseeable future, she continued, saying in the circumstances and given hugh's condition, i would like to ask that the privacy of my family and everyone else caught up in these upsetting events is respected. i know that hugh is deeply sorry that so many colleagues have been impacted by recent media speculation . nye recent media speculation. nye bevan we hope this statement will bring that to an end . well, will bring that to an end. well, it comes after the metropolitan police confirmed that no criminal offence has been committed by mr edwards in relation to the claims. the force say they have completed their assessment and are taking no further action. the met has advised the bbc it can now continue with its own internal investigation . an bbc investigation. an bbc director—general, tim davie, has told staff in a message that it's been a challenging few days. the bbc released a

statement reading we have seen the statement from the police confirming they have completed their assessment and are not taking further action. we we're grateful to them for completing this work at speed. it continues. reading the police had previously asked us to pause our fact finding investigations and we will now move forward with that work , ensuring due with that work, ensuring due process and a thorough assessment of the facts whilst continuing to be mindful of our duty of care. to all involved . duty of care. to all involved. well, meanwhile, the sun newspaper paper says it does not plan to publish further allegations about hugh edwards. it comes after it published details of four claims made against him . they include against him. they include allegations of paying a teenager for sexually explicit pictures and sending threatening messages . well let's bring you up to date now with some of the other stories tonight . g7 leaders have stories tonight. g7 leaders have signed a joint declaration in support of ukraine, promising to

stand by the country for as long as it takes. it comes as defence secretary ben wallace suggested ukraine should show gratitude for the military support it has been given. but the prime minister rishi sunak says the ukrainian people, including its president, are incredibly grateful for the support the uk has shown . the first asylum has shown. the first asylum seekers have arrived at a former raf airbase in essex, 46 people are now at wethersfield with more individuals to arrive in the coming weeks. the site , the coming weeks. the site, which can house up to 1700 single adult men , is expected to single adult men, is expected to be fully operational by autumn tv online dab+ radio and on tune in. this is gb news nato. it's back to .

back to. mark off the days of fevered speculation. >> the bbc star alleged to have paid a teenager for explicit images is hugh edwards. the face of bbc news ? his wife, vicky of bbc news? his wife, vicky flint , issued a statement on of bbc news? his wife, vicky flint, issued a statement on his behalf saying that he was suffering mental health issues and is now receiving inpatient hospital care . meanwhile, hospital care. meanwhile, detectives from the met police have ended their assessment into the allegations and have determined there is no evidence of a criminal offence . the bbc of a criminal offence. the bbc says it's now resuming its investigation whilst continuing to be mindful of its duty of care to all involved . let me care to all involved. let me first say that this is clearly a deeply traumatic time for both hugh edwards and his family, and we wish him well in his treatment for mental health issues , which we understand he issues, which we understand he has battled for some years. my prayers are with him for a speedy recovery . stories like

speedy recovery. stories like the tragedy of itv. presenter caroline flack ought to give everyone pause for thought about how public figures are treated, given the fact that, yes, they may be celebrities, but they're human beings too. however, the story is like a nuclear bomb for the bbc. given the fact that edwards was the man who fronted the king's coronation on the election night coverage and our late great queen's funeral , he's late great queen's funeral, he's the presenter of their flagship evening news bulletin and is, to all intents and purposes , as the all intents and purposes, as the face of the bbc. anything significant that happens in the country a death, a birth, a resignation, a war, a natural disaster. hugh edwards has been the man telling you, hugh edwards is bbc news and bbc news is hugh edwards. edwards is bbc news and bbc news is hugh edwards . so questions is hugh edwards. so questions remain about whether such a big star on the channel was willing to possibly risk his reputation with alleged inappropriate

behaviour, including the suggestion of large payments of money to a youngster whose parents say had drug issues ? is parents say had drug issues? is the potential breaking of lockdown rules to meet another alleged youngster . and reports alleged youngster. and reports from the bbc's own news website about alleged threatening texts that led to an individual feeling unsafe and afraid . plus, feeling unsafe and afraid. plus, hugh edwards is facing fresh allegations tonight of inappropriate behaviour from his own bbc colleagues. inappropriate behaviour from his own bbc colleagues . junior staff own bbc colleagues. junior staff members revealed to the 6:00 news that the presenter had sent inappropriate messages to them, but also confirmed that they had not previously officially complained to the corporation . complained to the corporation. hugh edwards will, in time have an opportunity to defend himself, refute these claims , himself, refute these claims, and offer his side of the story . it's right that he has that opportunity and he should get a fair hearing. but the bbc looked

to have been asleep at the wheel in their handling of the first set of allegations. jones having sat on their hands for seven weeks before even raising the issue with the presenter himself. if the bbc had dealt with this more swiftly and competently, they might have prevented this press storm and spared a huge amount of stress and anguish for their biggest star. it's a bad day for hugh edwards as he battles for his health and the future of his career there. but for the bbc, it's even worse . let's get it's even worse. let's get reaction now from my superstar panel reaction now from my superstar panel, broad caster and author christine hamilton. big businessman and activist adam brooks , and former labour party brooks, and former labour party adviser matthew lazar. chris 18, at the heart of this is a lot of human suffering. we have alleged victims and we have of a massive star in hugh edwards, currently in hospital being treated for mental health issues. so this is this is in the end, a human tragedy. >> of course it is. you're absolutely right in what you

said. he may be a mega star. and to a lot of people, he's just somebody they see on television. but he is beneath all this a human being. i actually feel more his wife, his more sorry for his wife, his children. and allegations children. and if the allegations are true and they are still allegations at the moment, if they are true for his alleged victims, the young people, if there is a young person who is now addicted to crack cocaine because of his actions and because of his actions and because he's been paying him money for these pictures, that is appalling. money for these pictures, that is appalling . and one wonders is appalling. and one wonders what sort of help the bbc are offering to that young person who clearly can't afford to go to the priory. are they offering them any help at all? i mean, that's where celebrities go, isn't are mentally, isn't it, if they are mentally, if they need mental health problems , if they have mental problems, if they have mental health problems, i shouldn't think the nhs is picking up this child who clearly needs help. but it is a human tragedy but yes, it is a human tragedy and the real what hugh edwards did or didn't do is we will discover in due course and this is the other thing that i find difficult is we still don't know

whether any of this is actually true. one can't help but believe it must be, because otherwise he would have denied or his would have denied it. or his wife would have denied all. wife would have denied it all. she statement is she said in that statement is that the person who in in that he is the person who in in the headlights. she hasn't said this is not true and he will denyitin this is not true and he will deny it in due course. so we have our own conclusions have to draw our own conclusions about bbc have about that. but the bbc have a hell of a lot to answer for. they really they have they really have. they have handed like me want handed people like me who want to the they've just to defund the bbc. they've just given us a loaded revolver to point at them. slowness in point at them. their slowness in taking any action they have behaved hinckley the behaved appalling hinckley the minute about this, minute they heard about this, they should have gone straight to edwards this has to hugh edwards and say this has come what have you got to come in. what have you got to say? seven weeks before they even spoke to him, it was as though were in awe of their though they were in awe of their biggest, stars. put biggest, biggest stars. they put them pedestals. they them on these pedestals. they pay them on these pedestals. they pay them these vast amounts of money make their stars money and they make their stars untouchable . well, the way untouchable. well, it's the way they've behaved is crazy. like an ostrich with their head in the stones. i think they've done themselves untold damage. whatever the final outcome of this. now arade dam, no doubt in

the days and weeks ahead, the plight of the alleged victims will that we focus on. >> tonight, m on. >> tonight, do have a >> but tonight, you do have a major star in hospital with mental health issues, which i understand edwards has understand hugh edwards has struggled with for many years. and beeb, his employers and the beeb, his employers and perhaps well have a perhaps the press as well have a duty care to him in the duty of care to him in the context high profile context of other high profile stories tragedy of stories like the tragedy of caroline flack. yeah, look , caroline flack. yeah, look, again, i will reiterate, i'm thinking of the wife of hugh edwards and his children right now, because one thing i thought was very distasteful with the phillip schofield saga is that the wife and kids sort of got pushed for aside this amazing, brave story . brave story. >> you know, obviously, this is an amazing isn't an amazing, brave story. this is a scandal. but we must think about his wife and his kids. it must be a terrible, terrible situation at home. >> one wonders when she knew . >> one wonders when she knew. >> one wonders when she knew. >> right. so, again, look , do we >> right. so, again, look, do we have to think about him too, though? we've got a man in hospital. >> has he suffered a sort of trial by media? >> we've got a man in hospital,

which is not good. it is a well known man. and if the allegations that the allegations have to be addressed when he comes of hospital, they're comes out of hospital, they're going to be addressed by going to have to be addressed by the right. they're the man right. whether they're true they're not. one thing true or they're not. one thing l, true or they're not. one thing i, i want to speak about is if the mental health issues were known by the bbc, why is this man in such a prominent position? he is the face of the bbc with the pressures and the fame that come with it. now, if the man is about the pressure that was put on him, it's true. the man is a very fragile man and has got issues. i do not believe he should be fronting the bbc all the more reason equally confront him. equally to confront him. >> they first heard these >> when they first heard these allegations, it took it took seven weeks. >> matthew? seven weeks. >> i fiatthew? seven weeks. >> i mean, /? seven weeks. >> i mean, look, i worked >> yeah. i mean, look, i worked at bbc for 13, 14 years. at the bbc for 13, 14 years. don't defund it because i want my pension. i don't want my pension. >> i just say you make it sound like a prison sentence. >> no, wasn't. it wasn't. it >> no, it wasn't. it wasn't. it did. years. absolutely and did. 13 years. absolutely and i lived to tell the tale and look,

inever lived to tell the tale and look, i never worked directly with hugh. worked in in bbc hugh. vicky worked in in bbc westminster you westminster like me. and, you know , and mrs. edwards and was know, and mrs. edwards and was and both were really well liked. now that is not to take away from the fact that what he's doneis from the fact that what he's done is clearly inappropriate. but let's remind ourselves that met been absolutely crystal met have been absolutely crystal clear there are criminal clear that there are no criminal allegations to and if allegations to answer. and if the have sorted that in the met have sorted that out in 24 they really they 24 hours, they really they mustn't the original mustn't be on the original allegations, which is i mean i think i actually think the bbc which i'm pretty despite my years they're prepared to be critical been done critical of have been have done quite well last few quite well over the last few days whether they should days and whether they should have responded. original have responded. the original allegations the allegations hang well over the last the issue about last few days. the issue about the original allegations is the parents, the mum remember the young person at the centre of the who's got parents the who's parents got parents saying one thing and the young person saying person in question saying another lawyers another very expensive lawyers who's for those? who's paying for those? >> then two more people >> well, then two more people coming out. >> absolutely. doesn't >> absolutely. and that doesn't mean that they aren't allegations, what's allegations, but what's your point point about the point about? the point about the parents apparently they parents is apparently they originally standing originally turned up standing outside broadcasting outside the broadcasting house and making allegations. do you

know at the know what? if you work at the bbc, you get all sorts of things and all sorts of allegations all the time. it's there was the time. it's clearly there was a error they a system error where they basically up basically they didn't go up the food chain unless they're lying. the tim davies says the management. tim davies says he thursday. he heard about it on thursday. frankly, he's frankly, i don't think he's lying because because that would that be found out later. that would be found out later. so allegation should have so the allegation should have been charged. but not been turbo charged. but not every allegation, as we know is true if they had acted seven weeks >> if they had acted seven weeks ago when it was, this whole storm wouldn't be happening now. so it is the bbc s fault. their process of why now not necessarily expel covid. >> how much did the son, the son, say they haven't paid? they paid the parents? no, that's correct. >> we understand. no, no. money has been. >> if they've done the young person in question is absolutely adamant that the parents are wrong. i'm afraid have to wrong. and i'm afraid we have to listen the young person listen to the young person as much to the parents much as we listen to the parents through through expensive london lawyers, the young person is allegedly lawyers, the young person is allegedaccording the addict, according to the parents, according to the parents, according to the parents, according to the parents, yes. according to the storm hadn't come out. >> would be bbc? >> would we be having bbc? >> would we be having bbc?

>> lot if they're >> there's a lot of if they're not staff now saying allegations against hugh. >> well, let me tell you will >> well, let me tell you we will be debating for the next be debating this for the next two it is, of course , two hours. it is, of course, absolutely this story absolutely devoted to this story . now, we really cannot discuss anything else. why? because it's the face of the organisation, hugh edwards, who has been revealed today as the star at the alleged sex the heart of this alleged sex scandal. it's the national broadcaster you and i pay broadcaster that you and i pay a lot of money towards to the tune of £159. you're threatened with jail if you don't pay it. so i make no apologies for devoting the entirety of tonight's show to in crisis story. to this bbc in crisis story. now, let me bring you up to date on what met police have been on what the met police have been saying. from the saying. detectives from the met's command met's specialist crime command have concluded their have now concluded their assessment and have determined there to there is no information to indicate criminal offence indicate that a criminal offence has committed. we're aware has been committed. we're aware of media reporting of further allegations against the same individual. no specific details or about these or information about these allegations have been passed to us and therefore there no us and therefore there is no police this time and police action at this time and bbc director general tim davie this evening told staff this

will no doubt be a difficult time for many after a challenging few days, i want to reassure you that our immediate concern is our duty of care to all involved . something i want all involved. something i want to raise with both my guests and you, our viewers . dan at you, our viewers. dan at gbnews.com is whether or not the criminality is a red herring and whether this alleged behaviour is also inappropriate for such a high profile figure , given the high profile figure, given the fact that we know who the allegations are focussed on now , you have to wonder whether he will keep his job. we'll be talking to john, sergeant, very close friend of hugh edwards, a little later. christine hamilton, adam brooks and matthew lahza, thank you so much. we'll very soon, much. we'll catch up very soon, as said. coming up, former as i've said. coming up, former bbc man of 30 years, john sergeant delivers his verdict. but next, is this a crisis of the bbc's own making? former top bbc journo robin btec and beeb broadcaster edwina currie thrashed that one out .

>> britain's news. channel >> britain's news. channel >> welcome back. it's time for the clash . earlier tonight, in the clash. earlier tonight, in a sensational media bombshell, it was revealed that hugh edwards is the bbc star at the centre of the £35,000 sex pics scandal . we the £35,000 sex pics scandal. we must stress. still, allegations

at this stage. his wife released at this stage. his wife released a statement on his behalf hours ago saying that he's in hospital having suffered from severe mental health problems which have worsened over the last few days. she also confirmed that the tv star very much the face of the national broadcaster, was first told that there were allegations against him only last thursday, seven weeks after the beeb were first made aware of them and in the last few moments, director general tim davie has sent a message to bbc staff saying this will no doubt be a difficult time for many. after a challenging few days, i want to reassure you our want to reassure you that our immediate concern is our duty of care to all involved . but is care to all involved. but is this a crisis of the bbc's making? let me know your thoughts. dan at gbnews.com or tweet me at gb news and do vote in the poll on twitter to debate this, i'm delighted to welcome former bbc journalist robin atkin and another big former bbc star. of course, she was on five live at the weekends for at

least ten years. it was a brilliant show . ex—tory minister brilliant show. ex—tory minister edwina currie. edwina, i know you. you wish no ill on our national broadcaster , your national broadcaster, your former employer , but your former employer, but your assessment of their handling of this crisis ? this crisis? >> oh, absolutely appalling. >> oh, absolutely appalling. >> i mean, appalling . >> i mean, appalling. >> i mean, appalling. >> you know, back in may, the bbc was approached and told about this allegation on by we understand , by the family and understand, by the family and doesn't seem to have done an awful lot about it. i mean, you know, one of the first things you would do is actually speak to the person who is being accused and you'd say, you know, this, this is what's being said. what's your response? the what's your response? and the whole thing , oh, the whole thing whole thing, oh, the whole thing stinks , to be honest. it's so stinks, to be honest. it's so unfair on hugh edwards. it's so unfair on hugh edwards. it's so unfair on hugh edwards. it's so unfair on his family who have now taken the whole thing by the scruff of its neck and put out, i thought the most wonderfully

compassionate statement is his wife is clearly a very special person indeed . and but it person indeed. and but it reflects extremely badly on the bbc itself. and they seem to be much more interested . whatever much more interested. whatever tim davie says tonight, they seem to be much more interested in the reputation of the of the beeb itself. i mean, why would you sit on something like this if you thought that some impropriety had been discovered, you would talk to the employee about it, especially if you thought it might have happened on your premises? it doesn't seem to have done that at all. if you're concerned about somebody's private life , then somebody's private life, then again, you have the conversation. if you think something illegal might have happened, call in the police happened, you call in the police . that's what do. you call . that's what you do. you call in the police. now, the police have nothing to here, have said nothing to see here, nothing there nothing illegal. there satisfied, but somewhere along the line, the employer , this the line, the employer, this great national institute, mark, which sets itself up as the arbiter of all moral behaviour in this country , is at fault.

in this country, is at fault. >> i think a fascinating and assessment from edwina currie . assessment from edwina currie. robin atkin, your reaction to this story at the bbc employ 22,000 people. is it really their fault if one employee gets caught up in a set of allegations ? no i don't think it is. >> i mean, is.- >> i mean, i is.— >> i mean, i don't is. >> i mean, i don't think that edwina's allegations about the bbc there are quite fair. after all, this is one man and his demons were riding him hard. clearly and he had a breakdown, which is terrible for him and terrible for his for his family. i agree that there was a delay. clearly, the initial complaint came in seven weeks ago, but it has to be said that the bbc does get a lot of complaints all the time about various members of staff. now, hugh edwards was a

very prominent member of staff. so you might think, well, very prominent member of staff. so you might think, well , they so you might think, well, they should have been a bit more alert about this. but look what hugh edwards did and these are allegations. okay. we don't know what he did, but let's assume that there is something there's some truth in these allegations. and by the way, i think that it's a fair assumption to say that there is some truth in them because the newspapers in my experience, don't go out on a limb on highly libel information like this. so let's assume there is something in these allegations. >> well, can we can we can we agree, robin, that the allegations still stand? i think that's probably the best way to put it, that the allegations still stand and are being investigated still. >> they're still allegations, okay. remain allegations okay. they remain as allegations . only this is this is behaviour private behaviour by hugh

edwards. now now it's the picture painted is a very unpleasant one. he has used his power and his money allegedly to get some young person to abase themselves for his sexual gratification . now, i don't gratification. now, i don't think that a an employer can necessarily police that kind of personal behaviour. i mean, they couldn't do it for you. they couldn't do it for you. they couldn't do it for you. they couldn't do it for me. obviously you know, this is between hugh and his own conscience . so that and his own conscience. so that side of it, i don't think the bbc is culpable for in any way at all now. okay. there was a delay and seven weeks. it looks a bit tardy, but you know, knowing the bbc as i do, i worked there for 25 years. anyone who's worked in the bbc knew that it's got the this labyrinthine bureaucracy behind it. it's got reams and reams of

management. i could imagine the way this would have sludge slowly moved through the system with no very speedy response to an allegation like that. so look , i'm not saying the bbc is faultless in this . i'm sure it faultless in this. i'm sure it isn't. i mean, one thing that really might be they might very well be at fault is if they had some inkling that hugh edwards was in some way cracking up . you was in some way cracking up. you know, if there were signs. and also if there was if there were complaints internally about edwards behaviour towards his colleagues and if those allegations sessions were sat on, if those complaints by other bbc staff members were not acted on, then i think the bbc would certainly be at fault in that case. but we don't know that is true. that's what i'm saying. >> interesting . briefly, if you >> interesting. briefly, if you can, edwina , do you agree with

can, edwina, do you agree with robin atkin that really this is about what hugh edwards and his own conscience says? >> no, i don't know. i don't. in fact, i think that's making an assumption about hugh own behaviour and i don't think we have any right or indeed any evidence to do that bearing in mind that allegations of all sorts, as robin rightly says , sorts, as robin rightly says, get made against anybody that's in public life and some have some substance and some have no substance whatsoever , and substance whatsoever, and sometimes they are even malicious or they are based on a misunderstanding . so we cannot misunderstanding. so we cannot make any assumptions at all about the allegations that have been made. okay. but we can i think, be concerned about is the way that the beeb handled them . way that the beeb handled them. and indeed, if they have lots of them, they need to have a big department to handle them and they need to handle them with a great deal sensitivity and great deal more sensitivity and a more speed. okay a great deal more speed. okay robin, give me 10s look, i mean , forgive me , but if there was

, forgive me, but if there was nothing in this , if there was nothing in this, if there was nothing in this, if there was nothing at all in this, if this was all a flight of fancy , we was all a flight of fancy, we wouldn't be sitting here talking tonight about. >> i mean, something has happened , okay? and i mean , it's happened, okay? and i mean, it's all very well to say, well, you know, these are merely allegations. okay they are merely allegations . but if they merely allegations. but if they were just groundless allegations , then actually nothing would be happening at all as it is , the happening at all as it is, the bbc has got a real crisis on. okay robin, good to meet you. >> for the first time. i look forward to our next encounter. robin aitken is a former top bbc journalist and a very good friend of show, good friend friend of the show, good friend of channel, good of of the channel, good friend of mine, conservative mine, former conservative minister star edwina minister and ex—bbc star edwina currie. wish we had currie. edwina, i wish we had longer, we'll pick up the longer, but we'll pick up the conversation on a future occasion. you with? occasion. who do you agree with? is hugh elle edwards crisis is the hugh elle edwards crisis of the bbc's making? well, chuck says bbc big blundering crisis.

it's not their fault it happened. but as usual, it's not their fault it happened. but as usual , they've happened. but as usual, they've made a hash of managing the crisis . blocking blabber made a hash of managing the crisis. blocking blabber on twitter, says of course it isn't. how silly it needs a radical shake up. however for billie jo says the bbc has utterly failed their so—called complaints investigation process. basically they did nothing. the sun hasn't done anything wrong here, and at least they had substance in this torrid story. well, we don't know if it is substance. they are allegations at this stage . are allegations at this stage. your verdict is now in. 64% agree that the bbc have created this crisis 36% say they have not. coming up, the bbc's former chief political correspondent john sergeant joins us and he is a former close friend of hugh edwards. he knows him well john. sergeant react action next, a brighter outlook with boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on . gb

news. >> hello there and greg dewhurst. and welcome to your latest gb news weather forecast stays unsettled over the next few days . we'll have showers on few days. we'll have showers on thursday , then rain spreading in thursday, then rain spreading in for friday and turning quite wet and windy as we move into the weekend. last area of low pressure that we've had the last few days pulls away and then this area of low pressure moves in end the week and into the in to end the week and into the weekend, bringing us unsettled conditions of us. conditions for all of us. there's some showers there's still some showers around wednesday, largely around to end wednesday, largely across the west. across the north and the west. overnight, the clearest spells across south eastern across eastern and south eastern parts of england. elsewhere still a mixture of showers and temperatures generally holding up in double figures tonight. generally 11 to 14 celsius. so it means a mixed start to thursday morning . there'll be thursday morning. there'll be some sunny spells from the word 90, some sunny spells from the word go, but also a scattering of showers. thursday, as we go through the day. there'll be lots of sunshine in places, particularly across eastern areas. will bubble up. particularly across eastern are'could will bubble up. particularly across eastern are'could see will bubble up. particularly across eastern are'could see some.l bubble up. particularly across eastern are'could see some showers, up. particularly across eastern are'could see some showers, but we could see some showers, but showers should be fewer and farther between compared to recent still see recent days. we could still see a few heavy ones, particularly

across scotland, lots of across scotland, but lots of places staying dry and it will just feel a little warmer than recent days. as a result, generally high to low 20s. generally high teens to low 20s. highs around 24 degrees towards the south—east into friday. it all starts to turn more unsettled . areas of low pressure unsettled. areas of low pressure begin to move in. so we see cloud and rain sweeping in from the southwest, pushing north eastwards. this turning heavy at times . best eastwards. this turning heavy at times. best of the dry weather holding for longest across holding on for longest across scotland. temperatures near average farage a brighter outlook with boxt solar >> proud sponsors of weather on gb news as . i >> proud sponsors of weather on gb news as. i hope you're enjoying these weather bulletins, aren't they great and gloriously sponsored. >> coming up , former top >> coming up, former top detective mark williams—thomas gives his view on the bbc's handung gives his view on the bbc's handling of the hugh edwards scandal . but next, former bbc scandal. but next, former bbc chief political correspondent john sergeant speaks about hugh edwards, the man john knows him well. we'll discuss that .

on gb news, the people's. channel >> welcome back . and if you're >> welcome back. and if you're just joining us in a media bombshell story, hugh edwards has been named as the bbc presenter at the centre of the sex pics scandal, first reported by the sun newspaper on friday to react to this breaking news, i'm joined now by one of the

biggest faces and names in the history of the bbc, their former chief political correspondent, john sergeant . john, can we talk john sergeant. john, can we talk about hugh edwards, the human being first, a man you know well? yes >> yes. i mean, i've known him as a friend and a colleague for more than 30 years. and when i first heard a few days ago that it was likely, if not known for certain that he was the suspect. >> presenter , i thought, well, >> presenter, i thought, well, this doesn't this doesn't match with my knowledge of him or my feelings about him because he was always so well , sensible and was always so well, sensible and cool. and the idea that he'd be shouting at people, making threats, bullying them , and then threats, bullying them, and then involved in a crazy kwasi a crazy, risky adventure , if crazy, risky adventure, if that's what he was involved in, involving large sums of money. and i thought, blimey, this is this can't be the hugh i know. and of course my overwhelming feeling tonight is thank goodness they're now talking

about duty of care because poor old hugh, i have to say, poor old hugh, i have to say, poor old hugh, i have to say, poor old hugh is suffering in a mental hospital or in a mental ward of a hospital . and he's ward of a hospital. and he's obviously very seriously ill. well, this isn't the moment to go on about, but should he have done this and should he have done this and should he have done that? and i say speaking as an old friend , thank goodness. an old friend, thank goodness. let's hope he gets better soon. but this not to say that all but this is not to say that all these things shouldn't be properly . and i'm properly investigated. and i'm glad the sun has decided for the moment to stop making these allegations. it may be that the media frenzy can now be, at the very least, paused and people can start thinking about what prince william says. we've got to think about more about the need for openness us when it comes to talking about national, about about medical mental health, because the moment something like this comes up and it's mental health and then complete chaos reigns for several days, well, that shouldn't have happened . shouldn't have happened. >> and indeed, i mean, knowing

hugh edwards, do you have any sense of the scale of his mental health issues? and do you worry for his welfare tonight ? for his welfare tonight? >> i certainly do worry about it because, you know, you think of the pressure that he's been under the death of the queen coronation. another coronation in scotland, and everyone just saying, oh, you know, very good, hugh. you know, you do it as you normally do, do it well. but these are very tricky moments. and he's got to set the tone for these big occasions. so it's not a matter of just factual reporting . he's expected to be reporting. he's expected to be somehow now the sort of wise man, the guru , who can work out man, the guru, who can work out how the united kingdom is getting on and how it should be getting on and how it should be getting on. well, that's a terrific pick. you know, weight to bear . and terrific pick. you know, weight to bear. and of course, the moment you're in public life, the extent he is, he can't go out, he can't go shopping. he can't anything without people can't do anything without people saying, edwards i >> -- >> indeed. so married , of >> indeed. so married, of course, with five children in devastating for the family. john

>> devastating the family. vicky, his wife, she used to work with me. she was a producer for. so i know her extremely, extremely nice, balanced couple. i thought . and the idea that i thought. and the idea that they've got to explain all this to their children as well as the whole world and that everything is in the public gaze. i mean , is in the public gaze. i mean, this is for all of us, i think, who've had any dealings at all with sort of public, you know, activity, whether a politician or media people this is the ultimate nightmare, isn't it, that you've cracked up? that's what's happened to him. he's suffering from mental illness and that's what's happening for him. i if vicky says that's it , him. i if vicky says that's it, i'm sure it's right. and just think of doing all that with everybody, everyone that hospital, everyone are you seeing in the street? everyone watching the cars and you think this is this is a sort of horrible situation in for anyone talk about the glare of publicity. blimey it couldn't get much worse, could it? >> no. john, you'll be well

aware as a veteran of political reporting, that politics don't like hypothetical questions , but like hypothetical questions, but i've got one for you. i think it's important. i think it's relevant to ask. these are just allegations against hugh edwards at the moment. if they were to be substantiated , what might the be substantiated, what might the impact be on the reputation of the bbc news operation and the wider organisation of the bbc? >> well, of course, the moment you get any anywhere near proving what happened , you can proving what happened, you can then contrast that with how did then contrast that with how did the bbc behave in this case? slowly not very impressively, they sent one email, made one phone call that wasn't replied to . and so if this is what to. and so if this is what happens, if it looks as if all these allegations turn out to be true to the way the bbc handled it is not looking at all good . it is not looking at all good. and the only thing you can say is, all right, well, in the last few days, from the time that the director general now we've just

lost the line to do . lost the line to do. >> there you go. well, look, john, i don't know if we can get the line back to you, because i've just got one final question to ask you, if i can, which is just the reputation , not just in just the reputation, not just in terms of the bbc's handling of this. and there looks to be a case to answer particularly that seven week wait between the allegations first arriving and then being put to edwards himself. but what about the brand of the bbc? if these allegations are proven to have happened and that's a big if, we don't know. they're just allegations at the moment. but if to be proven, what if they were to be proven, what about the reputation in about the reputation damage in the public's trust in those three iconic letters of b, b and c ? c? >> sure. no. all these things are bound to , at least in the are bound to, at least in the short term , eradicate trust in short term, eradicate trust in the bbc. that is perfectly true. all you can do, i suppose, is to say what other organisation would have tried to report in the detail. the bbc news

department reported this particular can you imagine this is the person they've worked with for many years and they're being asked to report as if he wasn't involved with them . i wasn't involved with them. i mean that is an extra ordinary, difficult test, isn't it? so i don't think it's all sort of simple. oh, well, if don't think it's all sort of simple. oh, well , if the don't think it's all sort of simple. oh, well, if the bbc suffers, there must be some people who think, well, you know , thing about the bbc is that they are trying. and the answer is they are trying and they matter. all care about the matter. we all care about the bbc that makes a big difference. >> no better man to speak to tonight, john. sergeant, thank you so much for your time. coming up, my superstar panel debate whether hugh edwards is the victim of a media witch hunt. the sun out of order hunt. were the sun out of order with their reporting ? but next, with their reporting? but next, former top detective mark williams—thomas gives his view on the bbc's handling of the crisis. don't forget, he's the man that helped to out and expose jimmy savile. he's .

next welcome back. and breaking tonight in an exploding media story, hugh edwards has been named as the bbc's star facing allegations of illicit behaviour from four young people. a statement released by his wife on his behalf read as follows once well enough to do so, he intends to respond to the stories that have been published . to be clear, hugh was first told that there were allegations being made against him last thursday , just before hugh thursday, just before hugh edwards came forward. the met police confirmed that no criminal offence had been committed by the presenter. they added we are aware of media reporting of further allegations against the same individual. no specific details or information about these allegations have been passed to us and therefore there action at

there is no police action at this time . but what i can tell this time. but what i can tell you is that the bbc have resumed their own internal investigation. so to discuss these developments, i'm joined by mark williams—thomas , the by mark williams—thomas, the investigative journalist and former police detective who helped expose jimmy savile. mark williams . helped expose jimmy savile. mark williams. thomas, your helped expose jimmy savile. mark williams . thomas, your reaction williams. thomas, your reaction to the manner of the release of hugh edwards name . hugh edwards name. >> good evening, mark. >> good evening, mark. >> well , it >> good evening, mark. >> well, it had to come and it was only a matter of days away. >> and of course, this afternoon she released it on his behalf. there's been so much speculation , not just in regards to him, but of course, against other presenters who have come out and defended themselves. presenters who have come out and defsoied themselves. presenters who have come out and defso iti themselves. presenters who have come out and def so it was mselves. presenters who have come out and defso it was rightfes. presenters who have come out and defso it was right that he came >> so it was right that he came forward and said something. >> her statement is very clear in terms the fact that he is in terms of the fact that he is receiving mental health inpatient care and that he suffered for some period of time. >> but let's be very clear, to split this up, the police this

afternoon said there were no criminal offences relation to criminal offences in relation to allegation one. don't forget there are four separate allegations. haven't allegations. now. they haven't considered three considered the other three allegations, we also have to allegations, but we also have to remember that the fact that there any criminal there aren't any criminal allegations to say allegations doesn't mean to say that any wrongdoing that there isn't any wrongdoing . there is a separate wrongdoing. should these offences in relation offences be proven in relation to his employment? this is a man who holds a very senior position within the bbc, has a position of trust and respectability. and of trust and respectability. and of course that doesn't mean to say that he can do whatever he wants. there are some very serious allegations, even if they don't get to a criminal point of view. so the matter now has back the bbc. the has been back to the bbc. the major we've got, of major problem we've got, of course, the bbc sat on course, is that the bbc sat on this some 49 days before this for some 49 days before they even to him. what on they even spoke to him. what on earth for 49 earth were they doing for 49 days before talking to him? i have no confidence that the bbc are capable of dealing with this. it's gone back to the this. so it's gone back to the bbc from the police who said, you can carry on with your investigation on the bbc now needs come forward and say, needs to come forward and say, do know we've this

do you know what, we've got this wrong. deal with it wrong. we didn't deal with it expeditiously. didn't deal expeditiously. we didn't deal with appropriately. we should with it appropriately. we should have him much earlier. have spoken to him much earlier. we're put we're now going to put point someone let's get someone external. let's not get someone external. let's not get some involved who some barrister involved who probably doesn't understand probably doesn't even understand safeguarding. to get in safeguarding expert to get in there , understand going there, understand what's going on and start to get through as quickly as possible. some clarity if any of these allegations are proven to be true but not criminal, what do you think are the implications for hugh edwards and his position at the beeb hypothesised as a . i think hypothesised as a. i think they're huge. i mean, i'm not sure that hugh edwards is ever going to get back on television again. you know, some of these these allegations are very serious, whether they're criminal or not. they are clearly a breach of his position . it's highly unlikely. . i think it's highly unlikely. we've also got to be very clear in this mental health in terms of this mental health situation. know, mental situation. you know, a mental health situation make health situation doesn't make you people you start messaging young people in the manner that the allegations against him. yes, he may well be suffering from mental health. you know, we don't know whether that's

situational mental health brought recent brought upon by the most recent allegations. who's allegations. anybody who's suffering allegations and suffering the allegations and been under the spotlight, he, like he has the last few like he has over the last few days , of course, that's going to days, of course, that's going to have an impact on his mental health, and particularly this health, and particularly if this is already is a man who already suffers from health. so let's be from mental health. so let's be really clear. not to conflict that or conflate that in relation to it. of course, relation to it. and of course, what know is wife says what we don't know is wife says he will respond in due course. he's not saying i didn't do this. these are totally wrong allegations. fact we had. jon allegations. in fact we had. jon sopel come out yesterday and say that he's very angry about it. well those aren't the messages really . you can, you should be really. you can, you should be sending out there. let's see, let's see what happens. i think it's now important that bbc properly get their house together, not themselves . do it. together, not themselves. do it. get someone else external into doing it. and let's see. i suspect we will see probably four more people come forward saying that there's some level of inappropriateness that will need to be investigated . need to be investigated. >> and can i ask you , mark >> and can i ask you, mark williams—thomas, how long do you

think this current investigation will take? because i would have thought the quicker the better . thought the quicker the better. >> absolutely. i mean, it's taken 49 days for them to even speak to him and not pursue any other matters. they obviously haven't spoken to other people. it's only the fact that it's gone public. i mean, people are criticising the sun. and let's be clear, course, the be very clear, of course, the sun, as many other newspapers sun, as as many other newspapers over years got things over the years have got things wrong. i you know, praise wrong. but i you know, i praise the think the sun were the sun. i think the sun were very bold to take the steps that they did. and in fact, if they hadnt they did. and in fact, if they hadn't taken the steps, i hadn't have taken the steps, i don't have known don't think we'd have known about bbc would have about this. the bbc would have covered and carried on. they covered up and carried on. they didn't say anything until, didn't even say anything until, in sun had approached in fact, the sun had approached them, they then them, in which time they then decided they were going to talk to edwards it. so the to hugh edwards about it. so the sun acted absolutely sun of acted absolutely appropriately in this case. and they've to they've issued a statement to say are not going to say that they are not going to be printing any allegations be printing any new allegations in him. but i think in respect of him. but i think they've good job. they've done a really good job. it's the media to hold our it's for the media to hold our bodies account. and bodies to account. and of course, bbc. bbc a public course, the bbc. bbc is a public

body media to hold them body for the media to hold them to account. that doesn't always sit sit comfortably with some people, have a role. you people, but we have a role. you have a role. those people who hold a public within the have a role. those people who hold a t0|blic within the have a role. those people who hold a to hold within the have a role. those people who hold ato hold other within the have a role. those people who hold a to hold other people the have a role. those people who hold ato hold other people to; media to hold other people to account. that's exactly what it is. why british is. and that's why the british media is the best in the world andindeed media is the best in the world and indeed the free press. >> and we're going to be discussing that in the next houn discussing that in the next hour. sun go far or hour. did the sun go too far or is that ability to report these stories very important for democracy and also just for the pubuc democracy and also just for the public to know, especially when it comes to the state funded national broadcaster? finally, mark, briefly, if you can, just looking at all the different factors here, you know, you're your background is, as a former top policeman and as the man, the investigative journalist who helped expose jimmy savile clearly the allegations and alleged crimes involved are very, very different, not on the same scale. but are there any parallels between the bbc's handung parallels between the bbc's handling of savile and the current situation in exact

parallels ? parallels? >> i mean, we can't draw the comparisons in relation to the allegations as being the same, but the handling is very similar there. you know, had we not have got to a position where we expose savile and subsequently got media landslide again , got huge media landslide again, the bbc would have covered it up. they did everything possible not to comply with us when we asked them for an interview and we them the allegations. we put to them the allegations. it the bbc. it was it was only when the bbc. it was only when the media massively got involved that they suddenly decided change. exactly decided to change. and exactly the happened here. it's the same as happened here. it's so sad because the bbc is a fantastic organisation . there's fantastic organisation. there's some brilliant journalists there. i've got some good there. i've got some really good friends they do do friends there and they do do a very good job. but you've got senior managers there . you senior managers there. you haven't got a clue with reality . they're utterly detached. okay make the wrong calls. what we need to do is get the right people in there and it's a real shame. okay mark, thank you so much joining us. much for joining us. >> intel from a man >> brilliant intel from a man who knows mark williams , thomas, who knows mark williams, thomas, former investigative journalist

and ex—top cop who helped expose jimmy savile. coming up, political commentator and margaret former aide, margaret thatcher's former aide, nigel gardiner gives his analysis on whether bbc director general tim davie should step down. but next, my superstar panel react to this big story. is hugh edwards, the victim of a media witch hunt? where this next, the temperature's rising boxt solar. >> proud sponsors of weather on . gb news. >> hello there and greg dewhurst. and welcome to your latest gb news weather forecast stays unsettled over the next few days . we'll have showers on few days. we'll have showers on thursday , then rain spreading in thursday, then rain spreading in for friday and turning quite wet and windy as we move into the weekend. last area of low pressure that we've had the last few days pulls away and then this area of low pressure moves in end the week and into the in to end the week and into the weekend, bringing unsettled conditions of us. conditions for all of us. there's still showers there's still some showers around end wednesday , largely around to end wednesday, largely across the west. across the north and the west. overnight the clearest spells across eastern and south eastern

parts england . elsewhere parts of england. elsewhere still mixture of showers and still a mixture of showers and temperatures generally holding up in double figures tonight. generally 11 to 14 celsius. so it means a mixed start to thursday morning. there'll be some sunny spells from the word 90, some sunny spells from the word go, but also a scattering of showers. thursday, as we go through the day. there'll be lots of sunshine in places, particularly across eastern areas. up areas. the cloud will bubble up . we could see some showers, but showers be fewer showers should be fewer and farther to farther between compared to recent still see recent days. we could still see a heavy ones, particularly a few heavy ones, particularly across scotland, but lots of places staying dry and it will just feel a little warmer than recent days as a result, generally high teens to low 20s. highs around 24 degrees towards the south—east into friday. it all starts to turn more unsettled . areas of low pressure unsettled. areas of low pressure begin to move in. so we see cloud and rain sweeping in from the southwest, pushing northeastwards this turning heavy at times. best of the dry weather on longest weather holding on for longest across scotland. temperatures near average , the temperatures near average, the temperatures rising . rising. >> boxed solar proud sponsors of

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gb news. >> it's 10:00. gb news. >> it's10:00. this is dan wootton tonight. with me, mark dolan and breaking this evening, the bbc presenter at the centre of the sex pics scandal is the broadcaster's star news anchor hugh edwards . broadcaster's star news anchor hugh edwards. his broadcaster's star news anchor hugh edwards . his wife has hugh edwards. his wife has confirmed this information in a statement released earlier today. she has said hugh edwards is suffering from serious mental health issues and he is now receiving in—patient hospital care . she added that he intends care. she added that he intends to respond to the allegations once well enough to do so for the next hour, we bring you live reaction to this exploding media bombshell with hugh edwards

being named, including analysis from political commentator and margaret thatcher's former top aide, nigel gardiner. plus, has hugh edwards been the victim of a media witch hunt? did the sun go too far? i'll put that to my superstar panel tonight. christine hamilton, adam brooks and matthew lanza, three droppers of truth bombs , if ever droppers of truth bombs, if ever i saw one. and free speech champion toby young joins us live in the studio to tackle the left's attempts to use this scandal as a stick to beat the free press with, well , the sun free press with, well, the sun reporting in the national interest. we'll ask all the tough questions and bring you tomorrow's front pages , which tomorrow's front pages, which promise to be explosive . but to promise to be explosive. but to bnng promise to be explosive. but to bring you up to date on what has been a momentous day, particularly in relation to this exploding media story, let's go straight to our newsroom and rory smith . rory smith. >> thank you very much, mark.

well, as you've been hearing , well, as you've been hearing, huw edwards has been named as the bbc presenter at the centre of the broadcaster's controversy . in a statement, his wife, vicky flind , says hugh is vicky flind, says hugh is suffering from serious mental health issues . as is well health issues. as is well documented , he has been treated documented, he has been treated for severe depression in recent years. the events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters. he has suffered another serious episode and is now receiving in—patient hospital care where he will stay for the foreseeable future . she foreseeable future. she continued writing in the circumstances and given hugh's condition, i would like to ask that the privacy of my family and everyone else caught up in these upsetting events is respected . and i know that hugh respected. and i know that hugh is deeply sorry that so many colleagues have been impacted by the recent media speculation , the recent media speculation, and we hope this statement will bnng and we hope this statement will bring that to an end . well, it bring that to an end. well, it comes after the metropolitan police confirmed that no

criminal offence has been committed by mr edwards in relation to the claims. the force says they have completed their assessment and are taking no further action. the met has advised the bbc it can continue with its own internal investigation , while bbc investigation, while bbc director—general tim davie has told staff in a message that it's been a challenging few days, the bbc released a statement reading we have seen the statement from the police confirm that they have completed their assessment and are not taking further action. we're grateful to them for completing this work at speed. it continues, saying the police had previously asked us to pause our fact finding investigations and we will now move forward with that work, ensuring due process and a thorough assessment of the facts whilst continuing to be mindful of our duty of care to all involved . well, meanwhile, all involved. well, meanwhile, the sun newspaper says it does not plan to publish further

allegations about hugh edwards . allegations about hugh edwards. it comes after it published details of four claims made against him . they include against him. they include allegations of paying a teenager for sexually explicit pictures and sending threatening messages . well, let's bring you up to date now with some of the other stories making headlines tonight. g seven leaders have signed a joint declaration in support of ukraine, promising to stand by the country for as long as it takes . it comes as defence as it takes. it comes as defence secretary ben wallace suggested ukraine should show gratitude for the military support it has been given. but the prime minister, rishi sunak, says the ukrainian people, including its president , are incredibly president, are incredibly grateful for the support the uk has shown . the first asylum has shown. the first asylum seekers have arrived at a former raf airbase in essex, 46 people are now at wethersfield with more individuals to arrive in the coming weeks. the site , the coming weeks. the site, which can house up to 1700

single adult men, is expected to be fully operational by autumn tv online dab+ radio and on tunein . this is gb news. now, tunein. this is gb news. now, though , it's back to . though, it's back to. mark >> thanks, rory . tomorrow's news >> thanks, rory. tomorrow's news tonight in our media buzz. let's kick off with a first look at tomorrow's front pages . and we tomorrow's front pages. and we start with metro and they lead with shock statement in bbc crisis. it is hugh edwards wife names him as the presenter in sex pic stories. we should stress these are just allegations that this stage serious mental health episode is being suffered by the depressed star and i revealed it out of concern for him and our five

children, says his wife. daily star, bbc star at centre of sex pics row is named by his wife newsreader in hospital as cops say no crime committed. it's hughis say no crime committed. it's hugh is the headline and we'll bnng hugh is the headline and we'll bring you more front pages very shortly. let's get reaction now from my superstar panel broadcast pastor and author christine hamilton , businessman christine hamilton, businessman and activist adam brooks and former labour party adviser matthew lazor, now hugh edwards was today cleared by cops of any criminality relating to claims he paid a teenager £35,000 for explicit photographs . aukus so explicit photographs. aukus so has he been the victim of a media witch hunt? has he been the victim of a media witch hunt ? the media witch hunt? the newspaper's original story snowballed since first being published on saturday, with the beeb itself even breaking exclusive new allegations yesterday from from other complainants . this is what bbc complainants. this is what bbc journalist katie russell had to say on air about the scandal tonight . tonight. >> this is such dramatic news. i

mean, this is a man who has embodied bbc values, has been the face of the bbc, has held viewers hands through so many of the kind of momentous, significant parts of our nation's history, whether that's general elections, royal events , the queens death, of course , , the queens death, of course, the king's coronation. so so i think we're all coming to terms with this news. clearly, we've been saying for some time now that we have known the identity of the presenter but haven't been able to name him for legal reasons . reasons. >> matthew lanza has , as hugh >> matthew lanza has, as hugh edwards, been the victim of a media witch hunt. >> i think the media have behaved inappropriately at times, but clearly so is hugh quite seriously ? allegedly. quite seriously? allegedly. allegedly. allegedly, as far, yeah, absolutely. can i apologise for keeping on saying that? no no, no. you're absolutely right. you're absolutely right. you're absolutely right. you're absolutely right . but the but absolutely right. but the but i think that there is a distasteful aspect to the media coverage because , as you know, coverage because, as you know, as we've said, all night, the

and as the police have made clear, there is no criminal actions as far as as we know, up to this up to this moment and all of the people we understand were above the age of consent. and i think that sort of conflating as as some of the media have done this with much with much more serious scandals is a real problem. you know, if it turns out that inappropriate, the allegations are true and the behaviour would have been inappropriate, it appears it won't have been illegal. and that's a very, very big distinction. now clearly, somebody was figurehead somebody who was the figurehead of of the nation of the figurehead of the nation is a high standard. is held to a very high standard. i'm not saying that hugh is to going click his fingers and be back he was, i think back where he was, but i think you we all need to be you know, we all need to be careful seen i mean, careful and we've seen i mean, the dispute where i'm the classic dispute where i'm particularly struck fact particularly struck by the fact that the first young that the young the first young person listened the person wasn't listened to by the sun. sun wanted to listen to sun. the sun wanted to listen to the parents. it didn't ask the young person concerned. and this the parents. it didn't ask the young aerson concerned. and this the parents. it didn't ask the young a child. oncerned. and this the parents. it didn't ask the young a child. thisrned. and this the parents. it didn't ask the young a child. this was. and this wasn't a child. this was somebody who was the age somebody who was above the age of so i think i of consent. so i think it's i think it's you know, the media have lessons to learn here.

have got lessons to learn here. >> about that, though, >> i wonder about that, though, adam, if of these adam, because if any of these allegations are proven to be true, any one them true, i think any one of them would sacked anyway. would get him sacked anyway. >> there's been a complete >> yeah, there's been a complete if the allegations are true, there a complete abuse there has been a complete abuse of by a powerful man. of power by a powerful man. really someone that is the figurehead of such a big organisation. now now i want to try and highlight the hypocrisy of a lot of people that are saying this is a witch hunt and the media are acting, you know, over the top. because let me just tell you now, if over the last month since boris wasn't an mp, you know , and hasn't been, mp, you know, and hasn't been, you know, been in parliament, if this was boris , there would be this was boris, there would be people cheering on the tabloids to print more. what else have you got? get out there . right. you got? get out there. right. so there's a lot of hypocrisy out there from these so called be kind people that are saying or if it was a commentator or broadcaster on the right. on the right. i think so. look, he is a superstar name. and if these

allegations are true, he has acted inappropriately. and i think a 60 odd year old man should know a lot better than doing this if he had. matthew, you want to come back on this before i i'm just going to say, i think it is important that if it appropriate behaviour has been shown that people on the left, mean it's broadly people left, i mean it's broadly people on the left who've been who've left, i mean it's broadly people on th who've'ho've been who've left, i mean it's broadly people on th who've been been who've left, i mean it's broadly people on th who've been calling'ho've left, i mean it's broadly people on th who've been calling'ho'vthe been who've been calling out the so—called witch hunt today do condemn it. >> the problem got at >> but the problem we've got at the we haven't heard the moment is we haven't heard from any of the any of the alleged victims, one of whom says are a victim. so i says they are not a victim. so i think that's what's what's what's so difficult, because we don't the individual don't know what the individual circumstances are going to be. >> you now, if there >> let me tell you now, if there was truth in these was no truth in these allegations, come out allegations, i would come out kicking and screaming or if i'm in hospital, i would my in hospital, i would expect my wife come out kicking and wife to come out kicking and screaming my innocence. screaming about my innocence. so christine? have personal >> well, i have personal experience of being accused of heinous i.e, rape. heinous sexual crime, i.e, rape. >> 2001, my husband and i >> in 2001, my husband and i were very publicly arrested by the metropolitan police and accused by a girl that we had never in our life. there was

never met in our life. there was absolutely no truth in it. there was no evidence. the police was no evidence. but the police didn't about that. didn't care about any of that. they arrested because they they arrested us because they had dismally on trying had failed so dismally on trying to get other people and they missed. savall et cetera. they thought, oh, my goodness, we've got here. were hauled got a scalp here. we were hauled into police station into barkingside police station and arrested and and confronted, arrested and confronted with these allegations. could have allegations. now, we could have slunk away from that. police station there had been any station if there had been any truth in it at all. but there was no truth in it. so we came out with all guns blazing, and i'll never, ever it was one of the worst moments of my life when our solicitor stood there and read out the allegations, which horrendous . it was which were horrendous. it was awful. now if these allegations are not true, hugh edwards had it in his power either himself or if he's incapable , stated in or if he's incapable, stated in the priory , his wife could have the priory, his wife could have done it. he could have said there is no truth in these allegations. and his silence over all this in the last few days has been depher thing. so one has to one is drawn to the

conclusion that there must be something in it, but perhaps there isn't. he would have. we would have denied it. >> well, i wonder about that. i mean, he's keeping his mean, perhaps he's keeping his counsel because there's an open investigation. perhaps he's keeping his counsel because he's unwell. >> if wasn't mm. unwell. >> if wasn't he would >> if it wasn't true, he would have his wife would have denied it or his wife would have denied it or his wife would have done. if exposing these things would be. well, we would. >> also might. it >> well, it also it might. it might the incidents it's might be that the incidents it's not inappropriate. might be that the incidents it's not it inappropriate. might be that the incidents it's not it is inappropriate. might be that the incidents it's not it is reprehensibleiriate. might be that the incidents it's not it is reprehensible behaviour >> it is reprehensible behaviour . and certainly somebody . and certainly for somebody who's figurehead bbc who's a figurehead of the bbc like now here's what like that. now here's what i think some of them aren't . think some of them aren't. >> i mean, there's a there's a range of these allegations in terms of abuse of power. i think the difference you know, the difference to the you know, we've on this sofa and we've sat on this sofa and discussed in detail this the schofield difference schofield case. the difference with case was, with the schofield case was, is that that the young person in that is that the young person in question employee of question was an employee of itv until evening, there until this evening, where there appears that may be people until this evening, where there appearthe at may be people until this evening, where there appearthe bbc may be people until this evening, where there appearthe bbc have|ay be people until this evening, where there appearthe bbc have donee people until this evening, where there appearthe bbc have done it.3ople within the bbc have done it. none of people were none of these people were employees the bbc. nothing employees of the bbc. nothing was alleged have taken place on bbc that makes bbc premises. so that makes it i'm saying makes it i'm not saying that makes it everything but it makes everything better, but it makes it changes it different and it changes the role the versus as

role of the bbc versus as employer for a moment said it was no, no, i'm not. >> i know you haven't. i mean, for middle married man for a middle aged married man with children be this with five children to be if this is what happened to be asking young people whether they were boys them boys or girls to send them sexually explicit. >> the million. >> i think the $35,000 million question, which i'd like all three of you to address, though, were the son acting the were the son acting in the national interest, publishing this reporting this story and their reporting of the tone by of the story and the tone by which report which they report it? >> because many this has >> because many feel this has been a witch hunt against edwards. >> the sun always acts in its own interest. of course, it does. that's what. so does. i mean, that's what. so would say that they were not would you say that they were not acting in national interest? acting in the national interest? >> have a to know? >> did we have a right to know? well is the big question. well this is the big question. >> what is in the public interest and what is the public interest and what is the public interest if interest in? i think if a perfectly normal individual who was profile had was not high profile had been doing things, don't doing these things, i don't think we necessarily have a right to know. no, of course we have right to know if it's have no right to know if it's not illegal, allegedly. you not illegal, allegedly. but you know, he's very high profile know, he's a very high profile person. monumental person. he earns a monumental amount is paid amount of money, which is paid for by the licence payer, many of ill afford that

for by the licence payer, many of and ill afford that for by the licence payer, many of and i ill afford that for by the licence payer, many of and i think.l afford that for by the licence payer, many of and i think i'mford that for by the licence payer, many of and i think i'm afraid at for by the licence payer, many of and i think i'm afraid if money. and i think i'm afraid if he is behaving like that or he has behaved like that, i think we right to know. we do have a right to know. >> matthew yes or no, were the sun acting in the public interest, national interest, interest, the national interest, with not interest, the national interest, wi'your not interest, the national interest, wi'your mates not interest, the national interest, wi'your mates on not interest, the national interest, wi'your mates on the not interest, the national interest, wi'your mates on the left not interest, the national interest, wi'your mates on the left thinkt of your mates on the left think they were not. >> i think they weren't in the way the original story was reported. somebody reported. if somebody had reported. if somebody had reported through reported a thought through series of allegations joins the feats a recently feats done a lot recently with people business, they've people in business, but they've done with with clear done it with with clear allegations been allegations that have been double checked and allegations that have been doubclearly checked and allegations that have been doubclearly that checked and allegations that have been doubclearly that sunzcked and allegations that have been doubclearly that sun story and allegations that have been doubclearly that sun story you they clearly that sun story you know, there were holes it. they clearly that sun story you knoadam re were holes it. they clearly that sun story you knoadam brooks, holes it. they clearly that sun story you knoadam brooks, briefly, it. they clearly that sun story you knoadam brooks, briefly, what do >> adam brooks, briefly, what do you the sun acting? you think? were the sun acting? >> were acting the >> they were acting in the national interest. i've got 4 or 5. i paid for 4 or 5 bbc licence fees premises in fees with different premises in my many houses have my house. how many houses have you got? so at the end of the day, i know some my money day, i know some of my money goes his salary. i need goes towards his salary. i need to know how people behave. to know how these people behave. >> right, well, look, this >> all right, well, look, this debate rumble on. debate is going to rumble on. coming up, my super star panel return whether return to debate whether celebrities, private lives are anyone's first, anyone's business. but first, political commentator and margaret aide, margaret thatcher's former aide, nigel in nigel gardiner. he's flown in from and he gives his

from washington and he gives his instant verdict whether the instant verdict on whether the bbc director—general tim davie, should .

the people's. channel >> welcome back. if you're joining us, an exploding media bombshell . hugh edwards, the bombshell. hugh edwards, the face of the bbc, the face of bbc news, the guy that was , of news, the guy that was, of course, there on election night , the queen's funeral, the

king's coronation he has been named as the bbc presenter at the centre of sex pics and of course, these are just allegations at this stage, first reported by the sun newspaper on friday. let's get the reaction now from a political point of view from top commentator , also view from top commentator, also regular contributor to the telegraph newspaper, margaret thatcher's former aide flown in from washington in the united states . nigel from washington in the united states. nigel gardiner, from washington in the united states . nigel gardiner, now states. nigel gardiner, now great to have you in the studio. it's great to be here. >> thanks. thanks very much. >> thanks. thanks very much. >> and we're still processing the scale of this story. hugh edwards , the biggest star on the edwards, the biggest star on the network. is a crisis. network. this is a crisis. >> it certainly is. i mean, >> yes, it certainly is. i mean, what what a shocking development this evening. >> and the damage to the >> and i think the damage to the image and reputation the bbc image and reputation of the bbc is absolute huge here. and so if all the allegations are indeed true, i think we are looking at the rotting heart of the bbc, actually. and i think there will be major long term consequences as a result of this. and i think

also there will be growing calls for an independent inquiry into exactly what what happened here. so this looks like a real can of worms that's opening up a major scandal here. and i think immensely damaging to the image, the standing, immensely damaging to the image, the standing , the reputation of the standing, the reputation of the standing, the reputation of the bbc. >> indeed, if it was a television presenter that just hosted this series or that perhaps a sports presenter or an entertainment host, a comedian, it would be damaging. but this is a guy that was front and centre of their current affairs coverage. i mean, you look at the pandemic and he was very much the face of, you know, all of the bad news we had around lockdowns, all the rest of it. one of the allegations only an allegation at this stage that he may have broken lockdown rules himself. organisation has himself. so the organisation has got a major headache. >> yeah, i think so. here. and these allegations are absolutely appalling . they're horrendous appalling. they're horrendous and it really illustrates, i think as well, if the and it really illustrates, i think as well , if the bbc had

think as well, if the bbc had not been upfront , honest about not been upfront, honest about what's happening here, it represents a culture within the bbc. i think that that really needs to see the light of day here because these allegations are extremely serious . us and if are extremely serious. us and if the bbc did not act early enough in terms of revealing what was happening then, then i think that that's an absolute disgrace in terms of how this has been handled by the management of the bbc. there should be consequences at the very top of the british broadcasting corporation with regard to how this has been handled , which is this has been handled, which is why i think we do need to see an independent inquiry. we can't just the investing just have the bbc investing dating itself utterly dating itself that's utterly ridiculous. see an ridiculous. we need to see an independent inquiry into what's happening here. >> right, because >> well, that's right, because the that the the worry is that the broadcaster that we all pay for very expensively may not just have an issue with its procedure fees and the checks and balances in relation to allegations like this . this. >> but cultural, too. i mean , >> but cultural, too. i mean, some people are calling it a

cover up. i don't know if that's too strong. cover up. i don't know if that's too well,g. cover up. i don't know if that's too well, i think that it's >> well, i think that it's outrageous, frankly, the outrageous, frankly, that the british taxpayer has to fund the bbc today . this will result in bbc today. this will result in growing calls , i think, for the growing calls, i think, for the licence fee to be to be ended. why in this day and age should you have a corporation that actually funded by by the taxpayer and i think for far too long the bbc has been hugely complacent here and i think it's time for a new era in which actually the bbc has to pay its own way, like everybody else in the free market here. and so this will result in growing calls, i think for the end of the licence fee, which is outdated. i think it's a ridiculous notion to keep that licence fee in this day and age. and i think this this scandal we're seeing is also potentially just the tip of the iceberg here. and i think the bbc's handung here. and i think the bbc's handling of it has demonstrated a lack of transparency and accountability here. and the british taxpayer is actually

having to fund all this. >> indeed . so in your career and >> indeed. so in your career and of course, as a former adviser to margaret thatcher, you know a thing or two about leadership and you mentioned the manager of the bbc, i wonder whether the director general, tim davie, is considering his position at this moment or whether he should. >> well, he should be, because at the end of the day, he is ultimately responsible for what happens bbc. and if happens inside the bbc. and if there's been any failure of leadership within the management of the bbc, then the head of the bbc should go. it's as simple as that. it's a matter of accountability . it's a matter of accountability. it's a matter of the leadership taking responsibility for what has happened here. >> briefly , another nail in the >> briefly, another nail in the coffin for the licence fee. if these allegations are in any way proven right, it undermines the mandate upon the public to pay all that money every year. >> yeah, absolutely . i think the >> yeah, absolutely. i think the idea of the taxpayer having to fund the bbc, it's fundamental wrong. i think it's unfair as well to competitors to the bbc.

and the licence fee belongs in another era. not, you know, not in the modern era. today actually, in terms of a great deal of competition in the market. and the bbc needs to be held to account. the licence fee needs to be, i think, thrown out of the window now. >> thrilled to have you in the studio and thank you for flying in from washington to see us. always have you . always great to have you. >> great to see you. thanks. >> great to see you. thanks. >> thanks. normally you're down the your rather the line. yes. from your rather fancy washington apartment, but we'll great to we'll catch up soon. great to see you face to face. listen, in the spirit of balance, i should argue the bbc would argue that the bbc would say that millions of very that they have millions of very happy viewers and listeners who enjoy radio. they enjoy music, current affairs , drama, you name current affairs, drama, you name it, and that the bbc do a great job. and look, it's very important on this show and on this channel to offer a balance of views. is the bbc still delivering for you, mark, at cbnnews.com. now bbc director general tim davie has already admitted the affair has been damaging for the corporation and he will launch review into the

he will launch a review into the bbc complaints processes . bbc complaints processes. brilliant stuff. nile gardiner, thank you so much for joining us. coming up soon, free speech champion toby young gives his take on the hugh edwards crisis. you won't want to miss it. he is not happy man. but the not a happy man. but first, the weather that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers. >> proud sponsors of weather on . gb news. >> hello there. and greg dewhurst and welcome to your latest gb news weather forecast stays unsettled . over the next stays unsettled. over the next few days. we'll have showers on thursday and then rain spreading in for friday and turning quite wet and windy as we move into the weekend. and last area of low pressure that we've had the last days pulls and last few days pulls away and then area low pressure then this area of low pressure moves to end the week and moves in to end the week and into the weekend, bringing unsettled conditions for all of us. there's still some showers around end wednesday, largely around to end wednesday, largely across and west. across the north and the west. overnight the clearest spells across and eastern across eastern and south eastern parts of england. elsewhere still a mixture of showers and

temperatures generally holding up in double figures tonight . up in double figures tonight. generally 11 to 14 celsius. so it means a mixed start to thursday morning . there'll be thursday morning. there'll be some sunny spells from the word 90, some sunny spells from the word go, but also a scattering of showers. thursday, as we go through the day, there'll be lots of sunshine in places, particularly eastern particularly across eastern areas. will bubble areas. the cloud will bubble up. we see showers, but we could see some showers, but showers should be fewer and farther compared farther between compared to recent could still see recent days. we could still see a heavy ones, particularly a few heavy ones, particularly across scotland, but of across scotland, but lots of places staying dry and it will just feel a little warmer than recent days as result , recent days as a result, generally teens to low 20s generally high teens to low 20s highs around 24 degrees towards the south—east into friday. it all starts to turn more unsettled and areas of low pressure begin to move in. so we see cloud and rain sweeping in from the west, pushing north eastwards . this from the west, pushing north eastwards. this turning from the west, pushing north eastwards . this turning heavy at eastwards. this turning heavy at times. of the dry weather times. best of the dry weather holding on for longest across scotland temperatures scotland and temperatures near average . average. >> that warm feeling inside from the boxt boilers. proud sponsors

of weather on . gb news coming up of weather on. gb news coming up in uncanny arnold free speech champion toby young gives his take on whether the left are using the hugh edwards scandal to attack the free press. >> in this country. and a paper they hate in the sun. but next, my superstar panel returned to debate a very important question are the matters of celebrities private lives? any of our .

news radio. >> okay folks , tomorrow's news >> okay folks, tomorrow's news tonight and the front pages are . in okay, well, let's have a look at the telegraph. hugh edwards named by wife as presenter suspend by the bbc and

they've taken a screenshot there of this iconic broadcaster. very much the face of bbc news. in fact, i was just talking to a colleague earlier, a member of the team, gabriella and we both agreed that seeing all these television reports about hugh edwards, if the sound's not up, you just think that there's a bulletin happening and that he's on tv. but no, he is the story at the moment. on tv. but no, he is the story at the moment . also, we're at the moment. also, we're always grateful. zelenskyy tells wallace. after amazon jibe . wallace. after amazon jibe. okay, matthew , where should we okay, matthew, where should we go next? the i newspaper now , go next? the i newspaper now, hugh edwards in hospital for mental health care, says wife . mental health care, says wife. also, this is a shocking story £6,000 a year extra on an average mortgage. now we've got the express and they devote the whole front page to hugh edwards deeply sorry tv anchor receives treatment as police say no crime committed. hugh edwards wife names him as star in bbc scandal photograph there. i understand that that's a library image of

hugh edwards and his wife walking hand in hand. okay that's that's a couple more front pages. we'll bring you more as we get it. but now more on the media buzz with our superstar panel broadcaster and author christine hamilton , author christine hamilton, businessman and activist adam brooks , and former labour party brooks, and former labour party adviser matthew lazar, now , adviser matthew lazar, now, police have said there was no crime committed in relation to the sun's original hugh edwards story, which alleged the bbc man paid a young person £35,000 for sexually explicit photographs. i should stress, by the way, that this may or may not have happened the payment, but it's not been deemed illegal by police . hugh edwards was police. hugh edwards was additionally accused by the sun of arranging meet ups through dating apps and also sending flirty texts to others . but flirty texts to others. but tonight, his former bbc colleague, now of the very successful news agents podcast , successful news agents podcast, jon sopel, called for all coverage of the scandal to cease. >> we now know that there was no

illegality . so what are you left illegality. so what are you left with? someone's private life has come under scrutiny . he who with? someone's private life has come under scrutiny. he who is now unwell . i think it would be now unwell. i think it would be a crying shame if this is the last we see of hugh edwards on television when the allegations have turned out to be not that much. and i think all his friends will just be wishing him well at this stage, because hugh commands respect in this commands huge respect in this industry . industry. >> that's quite the to hill die on. i'll be dealing with this issue in the coming days because as a story is a story. but despite committing no crime yet, being married with five children is his life or any other celebrities private life, any of our business. why does it matter 7 our business. why does it matter ? who cares? why are we even talking about it? christine hamilton well, if you're in pubuc hamilton well, if you're in public life, life is public to a greater or lesser extent. >> i mean, just take in our humble way the three of us sitting on this sofa, not to mention you, if we expect people to listen to us by tuning in, then they are entitled to be interested. if we do something

that they consider to be reprehensible, or if we do something which they consider to be newsworthy . obe now, i know be newsworthy. obe now, i know social media has got some of this completely out of proportion and there's an awful lot of stuff on there which is beyond horrendous . beyond the pale and horrendous. but think you cannot expect, but i think you cannot expect, as i say, if you're in public life, you cannot expect the pubuc life, you cannot expect the public not be interested in public not to be interested in other aspects of your life. i mean, just expect them mean, you can't just expect them to listen to what you say on any subject, that's it. they're subject, and that's it. they're bound be interested. and hugh bound to be interested. and hugh edwards would known that. bound to be interested. and hugh edwarknowuld known that. bound to be interested. and hugh edwarknow it's known that. bound to be interested. and hugh edwarknow it's all known that. bound to be interested. and hugh edwarknow it's all alleged, that. bound to be interested. and hugh edwarknow it's all alleged, but. and i know it's all alleged, but he hasn't denied it. let if it's true, his behaviour it's not just not criminal, okay. it's not criminal. but it's pretty reprehensible . reprehensible. >> it's a very strong word. chris well, yeah, because it's all alleged. >> i know. >> i know. >> i know. >> i wonder, i mean, if there's no illegality , i mean, the way no illegality, i mean, the way that sopel framed it in his podcast is that perhaps his great crime is having a complicated love life. why is that? our business? >> us i think, i think the things that make it, make it our

business is if there's been an abuse of power, you know, if this was an employer relationship, the weinstein esque moments that have been exposed media industry exposed in the media industry are completely to are completely different to somebody having , you know, we somebody having, you know, we might he may have if might think that he may have if the out to be the allegations turn out to be true, he may have behaved true, that he may have behaved badly to his wife to and his family. that, is a private family. that, to me is a private matter. if there's been no if there's been direct abuse there's been no direct abuse of power. mean, remember, power. i mean, remember, we're talking the talking about all of the allegations, understand it, allegations, as i understand it, involve adults . and involve consenting adults. and if know if you met them if you know and if you met them on dating apps, well, you know, why is why is that in itself reprehensible? it may be distasteful some people. distasteful to some people. it may be, you know, inappropriate. people may comment on age differences, etcetera. >> it's extremely distasteful. but arade dam and of course, we don't within the law. yeah. >> what you do in your own home, in your own four walls of the bedroom is your affair. why should celebrities be that is, look do your your look what you do in your your house and what you do in your love life is, is your is your business to some extent.

>> but i'll touch on what something christine said. a lot of these people that are in the pubuc of these people that are in the public eye and the media are there because of their popular charity and their fans, not necessarily because they're good at their job, but they pull a crowd. they've got a fan base, that fan base has every right to know who they're looking up to and what the. but i don't want i don't want you. >> i mean, i'm a big fan of elton john. why should i care who he sleeps with? no but there is a moral thing here. >> i'm 43. if i was if i was messaging, messaging, 17 year old youngsters or young people, i believe that is wrong. but now a old, can i just say a 60 year old, can i just say that's a moral judgement, potentially ages out, a 60 year old is entitled to make moral judgements. i'm maybe i'm judgements. maybe i'm maybe i'm old. 17 year old? old. can you text a 17 year old? >> i know neil would be mightily upset, but why text upset, but why can't you text a 17 year old and say, hey, hey, big big boy. chrissy here. big hey, big boy. chrissy here. >> me. she sends me that. >> excuse me. she sends me that. i'm sorry . >> excuse me. she sends me that. i'm sorry. i will not have you

sorry . neil making suggestions sorry. neil making suggestions like that because i would think that was morally wrong to do that was morally wrong to do that for a middle aged woman who cares about morals. >> that's just a subjective thing. >> care about morals. and for a middle aged person of whatever sex to be encouraging a young person to send them sexually explicit photographs. we don't know what that means, by explicit photographs. we don't kno way, what that means, by explicit photographs. we don't knoway, but what that means, by explicit photographs. we don't knoway, but on1at that means, by explicit photographs. we don't knoway, but on dating means, by explicit photographs. we don't knoway, but on dating apps,|s, by the way, but on dating apps, i mean, christine, can i just say , know, going into , you know, without going into the details of the allegations, you know on apps, people you know, on dating apps, people do sexually explicit photographs. it's slightly different from >> it's slightly different from , how they work , you know, that's how they work . it be distasteful. that's . it may be distasteful. that's how young people, how the young people, as it were, behave and therefore, if those if the allegations are that they were kind of the photographs were sent . the thing photographs were sent. the thing about the 35,000 raises more questions not least how we can is bbc salaries so large that you can afford it. >> we see with premier league footballers, you know, when they when they act inappropriately, it's over papers because it's all over the papers because they have a fan base, because to some extent they are role models to people who hugh is a role

model to certain. he's a journalist. >> he's not a role model. he's a journalist. >> he is a role model to many people in this country. so we do deserve to know what is going on, like with the footballers, kids look up to them, but it's not like politicians who used to dangle used dangle dangle their used to dangle their kids. >> mean, you the back to >> i mean, you know, the back to basics in in the major basics thing in in the major era. you know, edwards, era. you know, hugh edwards, i listened edwards because listened to hugh edwards because he's a journalist, because i respect his authority and i respect his authority and i respect his authority and i respect his skills as a presenter, because i've ever presenter, not because i've ever seen a picture. i've seen seen a picture. i've never seen a picture respect. a picture i respect. >> hugh edwards >> i respect hugh edwards because professional he because of how professional he he on screen . he looked on screen. >> and how does this destroy that for you? >> professional was >> how professional was a person? now, these person? he seemed? now, if these allegations are not true, a professional person does not send young people do getty images or receive dirty images , images or receive dirty images, in my opinion. okay, well, look , i will obviously stress these are allegations at that stage, but it's interesting debate, very denied with with with the clock against us. >> are there any celebrities who do have a right to a private sex

life? is there a category? is the problem for hugh edwards, his role in the news and current affairs division? >> it was between consensual adults, all celebrities should have that, right? yes, of course. would agree or would course. would you agree or would it bad it was match it be less bad if it was match of day presenter or a movie of the day presenter or a movie star or something? >> it's probably it's >> i think it's probably it's become as more of a shock become become as more of a shock to people that it is. hugh edwards is news edwards because he is a news presenter, probably because people i don't people might think that i don't want to. >> his professionalism. >> his professionalism. >> exactly. actually, >> exactly. and actually, there's word category. there's another word category. >> another word. i think >> there's another word. i think that relationship with that we have a relationship with our newscasters, which is trust i >> -- >> it's trust. >> it's trust. >> well, i was just he is also quite >> well, i was just he is also quhe as >> well, i was just he is also quite as well. quite religious as well. >> john edward, they >> people like john edward, they are something and are telling you something and you want believe it. you do quickly. >> one you've just said, >> one thing you've just said, religious wales religious programs in wales necessarily if necessarily believe what if these are true? he's these allegations are true? he's broke the trust of his wife and his children . his children. >> a private matter. >> but that's a private matter. >> but that's a private matter. >> do that to >> and if you can do that to your wife and children, can your wife and children, you can do anyone. okay. do that to anyone. okay. >> well, look, folks, it's all about opinions. and that's what this show absolutely specialises

in. get yours through to our email, at gbnews.com email, de—man at gbnews.com let's recap. the police have confirmed that they have not found anything illegal in the actions of hugh edwards. he's been named by his wife, hugh edwards, now in hospital, being treated for mental health issues . we wish him well. we wish him a speedy recovery. he must be going through a tough time. and of course, all of these allegations at allegations are just that at this the bbc this stage. the bbc investigation continues. so it's important that we reserve judgement. now coming up in uncanceled free speech champion toby young investigates whether the left are using the hugh edwards scandal to attack the free press and attack a newspaper in the sun that they don't like . are they trying to don't like. are they trying to close the sun down? that's next. also .

it's time for uncanceled . in it's time for uncanceled. in which britain's top commentators speak out on controversial issues without the fear of the cancel culture sweeping the rest of the media. and depending on who you speak to, the sun's exclusive story on the hugh edwards scandal is either old school tabloid reporting at its best or outright gutter journalism. the debate has morphed, unsurprisingly , into morphed, unsurprisingly, into a left versus right affair with those of a more woke disposition seemingly keen to bash the newspaper for running the story at all. former bbc journalist john sopel also took aim at his old employer, telling former colleagues they need to look at themselves for their reporting on the story. take a listen . on the story. take a listen. >> and so you're thinking, well, what is this all been about? and it has exacted a terrible toll on him as a result of the reporting . reporting. >> as a report. >> as a report. >> i would i would also say that i think some of my colleagues in bbc news need to look at

themselves because i think that some of what was said, you know , reported and led on last night , which again, kind of, you , which again, was kind of, you know , showed that someone had know, showed that someone had a slightly complicated personal life. show criminality i >> torfaen great to have you in the studio, jon sopel emily maitlis, the ex sun editor, david yelland all having a go at the sun newspaper for their conduct. are the left trying to silence the free press ? silence the free press? >> well it's certainly is extraordinary. i think that these pillars of the metropolitan elite, rather than you know, acknowledging that one of their own, may have done something wrong and it's a time to pause and reflect, possibly a time for a bit of humility. >> instead, they're rallying to his defence, attacking the messenger, saying , you know, we messenger, saying, you know, we must be careful . well, we better must be careful. well, we better not say anything until the internal investigation has been completed . they're only completed. they're only allegations at this stage , even

allegations at this stage, even though the allegations seem to be multiplying. you know , by the be multiplying. you know, by the houn be multiplying. you know, by the hour. imagine the if this had happened to a conservative mp . happened to a conservative mp. imagine if a 61 year old father of five married conservative mp was accused of all the things that hugh edwards been accused of, but it involved young women , women more than 40 years younger than him in one case. do younger than him in one case. do you think the liberal elite, do you think the liberal elite, do you think the liberal elite, do you think alastair campbell? you think the liberal elite, do you think alastair campbell ? jon you think alastair campbell? jon sopel emily maitlis would be rallying around and saying, no, no, no , no, let's not jump to no, no, no, let's not jump to any conclusions . jones let's any conclusions. jones let's give him the benefit of the doubt. know it's extraordinary. i mean they'd be, they'd be calling for his head, they'd be shouting the rooftops. but shouting from the rooftops. but because it's of their own, because it's one of their own, it's a completely different story. >> you think the @ you think the a >> do you think the sun have a case to answer at all in terms of the reporting, whether it's the tone the content? the tone or the content? >> well, the sun were reporting what was to them by by the what was told to them by by the family of the young man at the centre of this story . centre of this story. >> no money for that story.

>> no money for that story. >> they took no for that >> they took no money for that story. and the reason the sun broke the story in part i mean, the reason the family contacted the reason the family contacted the sun is because they got so little joy out of the bbc. i mean, the mother says her reason for contacting the bbc and this was back in may was because she wanted the she wanted hugh edwards . she claimed that he'd edwards. she claimed that he'd been sending her son money and her son was using that money to fund a crack habit. and he was sending her son money in exchange for sexually explicit images. now, these are allegations . we don't know allegations. we don't know whether true, but she whether they're true, but she was distressed enough to contact the bbc or family member the bbc or a family member contacted the bbc and all contacted the bbc and said, all we want for this to can we want is for this to stop. can you can you have a word with the presenter? they didn't want to go with the story at that go public with the story at that point. think they tried. point. i think they tried. the police the police police and the police said there's we do . but there's nothing we can do. but but the bbc seemed to have made only very cursory effort to only a very cursory effort to contact complainant , and contact the complainant, and they didn't actually raise the matter with hugh edwards until last seemingly. mean,

last week, seemingly. i mean, absolutely extraordinary. so it's and didn't it's not and they didn't actually react. they didn't actually react. they didn't actually get gear, do actually get into gear, do anything about it until the allegations broke in the sun. so it's not surprise saying that the complainant, the mother of the complainant, the mother of the family of this boy went to the family of this boy went to the sun because after going to the sun because after going to the bbc, nothing happened . the bbc, nothing happened. >> do us, the public, have any right to know about this story? okay. well i think we do. >> i mean, you know , i think >> i mean, you know, i think it's partly because the bbc is taxpayer funded. he's one of the bbc's highest paid presenters. >> he's effectively a civil servant. he's a publicly employed , paid figure. employed, paid figure. >> yes. and i think i think if suppose suppose he was, in fact, a civil servant , suppose suppose he was, in fact, a civil servant, you can't imagine his employer treating him as leniently as the bbc are treating him. i mean, any look at dominic raab, you know, senior politician , an drummed senior politician, an drummed out of office because because he'd unintentionally bullied

someone. priti patel we see we see you know, it's a double standard people whose who's politics are right wing don't get the benefit of the doubt . get the benefit of the doubt. they get a hanging jury appointed immediately and they're almost immediately condemned and shown the door. but for someone seemingly associated with the liberal left on the other side in this ongoing culture war, it's a completely different story. >> now, i can stress that the bbc are resuming their investigation . they only paused investigation. they only paused it police wanted it because the police wanted them that they have them to and that they have suspended hugh edwards. whilst that investigation plays out. what about online? we've seen a parallel parallel universe, haven't we, where anyone with access to twitter has been able to speculate about who it was? is that a good or a bad thing? because i saw similar because i saw a similar journalist to the likes of contributors news agents contributors to the news agents podcast who yesterday podcast who on sky yesterday said that not only should the free press be controlled and possibly not report a story like this, but it shouldn't be allowed on social media as well.

what do you think of that? >> i think the opposite. it won't surprise you to learn, mark. think it it turns the mark. i think it it turns the privacy laws which muzzle the press on the grounds that reporting the person's name would be an invasion of privacy. you know, and the european court of human rights has been extremely active in establishing a more and more broad and restrictive interpretation of the periphery privacy clauses in the periphery privacy clauses in the european convention on human rights , the right to privacy rights, the right to privacy that's been used again and again to muzzle the press. but it's ridiculous when you can find out about it on social media, you know, by doing a couple of searches. i mean, it seems to me that the european court is going to have to re—evaluate the interpret station. it's placed on the right to privacy and stop muzzling the british press. >> do you think this increasingly censorious culture will see social media companies censured for running speculative

tweets about the likes of, i'm sure all the liberal elite panjandrums who are defending hugh edwards? >> this evening and condemning the sun and rallying to the defence of the bbc? i'm sure their response will be, well , their response will be, well, it's outrageous that this poor man was ever named. you know , man was ever named. you know, the mother, his wife would never have felt under pressure had his name not been revealed on social media. we need to clamp down on this kind of wild west that is social media. that'll be their response . more censorship, not response. more censorship, not an examination of the mores of bbc employees. >> well, indeed, because briefly , if you can, if the rules for newspapers were were even more prohibitive in terms of being investigative and exposing the truth, then that's bad for democracy, isn't it? and, you know , i spoke to mark know, i spoke to mark williams—thomas earlier, the man who helped expose jimmy savile and he said that if it wasn't for the sun and their bold journalism, we might not know about this story. that's about this story. yeah that's

right. >> i think one of the of the >> i think one of the one of the things people often lose things which people often lose sight in these scandals is sight of in these scandals is that the tabloids, like the sun, play that the tabloids, like the sun, play absolutely vital in play an absolutely vital role in informing the public about what out there, what these public figures , these highly paid figures, these highly paid pubuc figures, these highly paid public figures often paid at the taxpayers expense, what they're reading, what they're actually getting up to behind closed doors. and if we're paying their salaries, think we salaries, i think we have a right to know, too. >> right. let me tell you >> right. so let me tell you that toby young the founder that toby young is the founder of speech union. he is of the free speech union. he is also the editor in chief of the brilliant daily sceptic website, highly recommended. thank you, toby. we'll catch up soon. it's time now to reveal today's greatest britain and union jackass. greatest britain and union jackass . christine, who's your jackass. christine, who's your greatest britain. >> well, completely away from the topic that's been absorbing us for the last two years. two hours. my greatest, like, two years is that's how boring i am. >> christine. >> christine. >> so sorry. start again. >> so sorry. start again. >> i'm worse than neil, aren't i? >> start again.

>> start again. >> my greatest worry. this isn't live . or maybe it is. live. or maybe it is. >> well, no, it's not. >> can i say i've achieved something rare there. i've silenced. you have silenced. it is christine who is who is smiling upon you today? >> is on screen now. it's >> it is on the screen now. it's sir christopher chope mp who's shouted object when the house of commons were trying to pass the motion that give them motion that would give them these recesses. the these massive recesses. the country a considerable country is in a considerable mess. got massive mess. they've got a massive amount legislation. are amount of legislation. they are hurrying through. they hurrying things through. they haven't to consider haven't got time to consider things think it things properly and i think it would be better if they had slightly recess and paid slightly less recess and paid a little bit more attention to sorting out the mess the country is in. so christopher chope mp is in. so christopher chope mp is greatest excellent, is my greatest excellent, excellent nominee. >> spoken out on >> he's also spoken out on people have suffered people who have suffered vaccine. has indeed. he's vaccine. he has indeed. he's a heroic adam, briefly, if heroic figure. adam, briefly, if you can, greatest britain you can, your greatest britain mine is alex gibson , a very mine is alex gibson, a very inspirational man. >> i met last week on lee anderson show. he's got a charity called challenging mnd, which is motor neurone disease.

and he's suffering himself and he's raising well over £1 million. he's very inspirational guy. >> brilliant stuff. matthew, in a few words, if you could. your greatest britain is laura farris is a tory mp and yesterday she paid moving emotional tribute to harriet harman showing respect. >> can cross party boundaries. well, i liked all the nominees tonight. >> w�*- w'- w'— w—n >> i'm going to give it to the wonderful alex gibson. we wish him let's now have a him well. okay. let's now have a look at union jack and christine , who's caught your eye today, who's grinding your gears? >> it's got to be the bbc for reasons which are patently obvious. they have that will that will do it. >> we know. why don't we? we know why. christine adam, your union. >> jack mine is the world's biggest climate change hypocrite. and that is leonardo dicaprio, the guy that gets helicopters from his superyacht just to go for lunch. yes >> although young girlfriends are very carbon neutral, i've been told, matthew, your union jack, mine's michael gove and his so—called levelling up department who've not only

failed to spend 1.9 billion, they had earmarked for housing while the housing crisis continues. >> but also it turns out that since tories came to power since the tories came to power over half of net jobs have gone to in south—east, to london. in the south—east, not a record . not much of a record. >> okay, well, look, a very worthy set of nominations, but i'm give it to adam and i'm going to give it to adam and leonardo. i'll never win. dicaprio yes , a double. dicaprio yes, a double. >> a double double. i had a double last week. >> you're on a roll tonight. although tell you, you're although let me tell you, you're the first among equals when it comes to brilliant panellists tonight, enjoyed your tonight, i really enjoyed your company. folks, i'm back tomorrow 9:00. where? no tomorrow at 9:00. where? no doubt we will continue to deal with bombshell story with this media bombshell story and of course, i'm here on friday, saturday, sunday, as well. so you won't want to miss it. keep it, keep it. gb news headliners, our next see tomorrow nine. tomorrow at nine. >> temperature's rising on >> the temperature's rising on boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on . gb news hello there weather on. gb news hello there and greg dewhurst and welcome to your latest gb news weather forecast stays unsettled .

forecast stays unsettled. >> over the next few days. we'll have showers on thursday, then rain spreading in for friday and turning quite wet and windy as we move into the weekend. and last area of low pressure that we've had the last few days pulls and then this area of pulls away and then this area of low moves in to end the low pressure moves in to end the week and into the weekend, bringing unsettled conditions for there's still for all of us. there's still some showers around to end wednesday, largely across the north overnight north and the west. overnight the clearest spells across eastern and eastern parts eastern and south eastern parts of england. elsewhere still a mixture of showers and temperatures generally holding up in double figures tonight generally 11 to 14 celsius. so it means a mixed start to thursday morning . there'll be thursday morning. there'll be some sunny spells from the word 90, some sunny spells from the word go, but also a scattering of showers. thursday, as we go through the day. there'll be lots of sunshine in places, particularly across eastern areas. cloud will up. areas. the cloud will bubble up. we see showers, but we could see some showers, but showers fewer showers should be fewer and farther compared to farther between compared to recent we could still see recent days. we could still see a heavy ones, particularly a few heavy ones, particularly across scotland, of across scotland, but lots of places staying dry and it will just feel a little warmer than

recent days as a result, generally to low 20s generally high teens to low 20s highs around 24 degrees towards the south—east into friday. it all starts to turn more unsettled and areas of low pressure begin to move in. so we see cloud and rain sweeping in from the southwest, pushing north eastwards . this turning north eastwards. this turning heavy times. best of the dry heavy at times. best of the dry weather holding on for longest across temperatures across scotland. temperatures near . near average. >> the temperatures rising . >> the temperatures rising. boxed solar proud sponsors of weather on .

gb news. gb news. >> good evening. i'm rory smith >> good evening. i'm rory smith in the newsroom . hugh edwards in the newsroom in the newsroom. hugh edwards has been named as the bbc presenter at the centre of the broadcaster's controversy. in a

statement , broadcaster's controversy. in a statement, his broadcaster's controversy. in a statement , his wife, vicky