Huw Edwards criticised for entering festival poetry competition
Disgraced former BBC newsreader Huw Edwards has faced backlash for entering a poetry competition at the National Eisteddfod under a pseudonym. Survivors of child sexual abuse have criticized his participation as insensitive following his recent conviction for accessing indecent images of children.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing public debate regarding the rehabilitation and public visibility of high-profile figures convicted of serious sex offenses.
Image source, PA Media Image caption, Former BBC newsreader Huw Edwards seen arriving at Westminster Magistrates' Court for sentencing in September 2024
Warning: You may find content in this article distressing
An actress and survivor of child sexual abuse has criticised disgraced newsreader Huw Edwards for competing in Wales' largest cultural festival.
Sera Cracroft said it would- have been "catastrophic" if he had won.
In 2024, Edwards admitted to accessing 41 images of children , including seven of the most serious type. He was given a six-month sentence, suspended for two years, and placed on the sex offenders' register for seven years.
Edwards said the poem was a tribute to his father, intended to correct a "poisonous narrative", and was not for "sickeningly self-righteous Welsh speakers".
The National Eisteddfod said "nobody, including the judges, know beforehand who has competed".
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