Mirror readers divided over whether Huw Edwards' career will bounce back

14 July 2023 , 11:03

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Mirror readers divided over whether Huw Edwards' career will bounce back

It is a question that's causing speculation online: Will Huw Edwards' career survive the storm of allegations that are held against him and can he bounce back from the alleged explicit picture scandal?

According to a crisis management expert, it's not game over for the News at Ten newsreader, who was named on Wednesday evening as the BBC presenter accused of paying a teenager for explicit photos.

PR expert Edward Coram-James, CEO of Go Up, told the Mirror that he believes Huw's career "can and will survive" as he is considered to be a "bit of a national treasure", and no crimes have been found.

"In these scenarios, when the media, social media and politicians have clearly gone too far, there's always an elastic band effect: the public, having been pushed, will always snap back and rally around the flag," he said.

Crisis management expert Edward Coram-James believes Huw's career will be able to recover from the scandal (PA)

It comes after his wife Vicky Flind announced that Huw will respond to the claims in due course and he is currently receiving hospital treatment for his mental health struggles. The Metropolitan Police confirmed there is no evidence to indicate that a criminal offence has been committed.

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The 61-year-old, whose BBC career spans 40 years, has been suspended while the broadcaster carries out further investigation, and at this point, Huw has not resigned. The scandal has been compared to the case of Phillip Schofield - who quit ITV after admitting to having an 'unwise but not illegal' affair with a younger This Morning colleague.

The PR pro said the supportive aftermath could spark a revisit of Phillip's case, amid glaring 'double standards' after it appears that he lost everything after opening up about his affair. He added: "I believe that many will take another look at the Schofield issue and wonder whether he may have been treated rather unfairly by ITV and Willoughby."

With public opinion having such a big impression on both instances, we took a look at what Mirror readers have to say about the future of Huw Edwards' career - and it seems many of them are divided. While some support the belief that he should be 'cancelled' by bosses and viewers, others are in favour of keeping his private life behind closed doors.

The case has been compared to Phillip Schofield's, with numerous differences highlighted (BBC)

"If there was no criminality then it's a private matter. His family can decide how they wish to proceed, the viewing public if not happy can switch off but ultimately what he does in his private life is no one's business," one reader said, and another was in support: "I really do hope that he is getting all the help now. Best of luck Huw."

But someone else disagreed, and wrote on Facebook: "If that's not his career gone, then there's something seriously wrong with the UK." A fourth was in agreement that the star should take a break from presenting, and said: "No chance. Unfortunately mud sticks and he's 61 so should think of taking time away from the screen."

One simply put it: "He's got about as much chance of a comeback as Elvis". Others highlighted the attitudes to Phillip and Huw. A social media user said: "I'm amazed how the two of them have been treated so differently by TV people and public. Not broken the law but questioning behaviour."

"These days, nothing is impossible. Similar to Phillip Schofield, they'll have time away and they'll get offers to return," someone commented. "We may not approve of what they've done, but they'll employ a good PR team to rebuild their image."

"My opinion is the same on both - their actions were wrong, they may not be illegal, but they are wrong," another reader wrote. "Schofield [kept] his behaviour a secret and then publicly admitted his version of the truth, which does differ to Edwards, as Edwards was outed publicly by others. Maybe celebs should take note of this and realise that poor behaviour will no longer stay hidden... and once a can of worms opens, the lid can't be put back on."

Nia Dalton