The BBC was aware former newsreader Huw Edwards had been arrested over the most serious category of indecent images of children since last November, the corporation’s director general said.

Edwards was arrested in November 2023 while he was suspended from the BBC after allegations were published in The Sun about an unnamed presenter paying a teenager for explicit photos.

Asked why the corporation chose not to sack Edwards after they were told by police of his arrest, Tim Davie has said in an interview with BBC News: “Because quite simply, the police came to us and said, ‘look, we need to do our work in total confidence, we’ve arrested (Edwards) please keep this confidential.”

Mr Davie added: “We knew it was serious. We knew no specifics, by the way. Apart from the category of the potential offences.”

Edwards pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children on Wednesday.

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