Huw Edwards looks set to be stripped of his honorary degree from York St John University after he admitted accessing indecent images of children.
The shamed broadcaster is awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to “making” indecent photographs, with seven of the 41 being of the most serious type, between December 2020 and August 2021, when he was still a fixture on the BBC.
He received a Doctor of Letters from York St John in November 2019, when he was described by the university “as the country’s master of ceremonies, regularly leading broadcasts of major national and international events”.
Huw Edwards made a speech to graduates at a degree ceremony in York Minster.
Speaking to the university at the ceremony, he said: “I suppose my main bit of advice to students is to be ambitious – to think about goals for life and career, and to think about how they can be helpful to other people.
“I think that’s the big thing – to be generous in the way that you handle yourself as you go through your career.
“The second thing is communicating – clearly and precisely. Use of language is absolutely crucial, and people make a very quick decision on how able you are based on how you speak and communicate.”
Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday (Wednesday) that Edwards had engaged in online chat involving illegal photographs with an adult man on WhatsApp between December 2020 and August 2021, who sent him 377 sexual images, of which 41 were indecent images of children.
The indecent images that were sent included seven category A, the worst, 12 category B, and 22 category C.
Of the category A images, the estimated age of most of the children was between 13 and 15, but one was aged between seven and nine, the court was told.
A spokesperson from York St John University said: “York St John University recognised Huw Edwards with an honorary degree in 2019 for his services to national news broadcasting.
“Subsequently, the university has had no engagement with him.
“In light of the outcome of legal proceedings on Wednesday, July 31, our Honorary Awards Committee has begun the process to review Mr Edwards’ honorary degree with a recommendation that it is rescinded.”