BBC apologises to family at centre of Huw Edwards scandal

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The BBC has stated it apologised to the household on the centre of the Huw Edwards scandal after a evaluate into their complaints course of was printed.

A evaluate into how non-editorial complaints are dealt with on the BBC was commissioned within the wake of the scandal in July over allegations that Mr Edwards obtained inappropriate messages from a youngster and gave them cash.

The alleged sufferer’s mother and father declare they lodged a criticism to the BBC in Might final 12 months however turned to The Solar newspaper after their concern was not handled accordingly.

Revealed on Tuesday, the evaluate has discovered a necessity for “better consistency” in how complaints on the company are processed.

The report highlights failures within the complaints course of, saying the preliminary criticism about Edwards was not logged on the related case administration system so couldn’t be seen by senior figures.

There was additionally no documented course of for contact and follows-ups with the complainant, so when makes an attempt to make contact have been unsuccessful, the plan of action was not clear.

“The report identifies particular course of shortcomings within the presenter case. The preliminary criticism on this case was not escalated rapidly sufficient to senior administration and now we have apologised to the complainant for this,” Leigh Tavaziva, BBC Group Chief Working Officer stated.

She added: “Though our current processes and programs are, on the entire, working successfully, this evaluate exhibits that we have to be a part of them up higher to make sure regardless of how a non-editorial criticism comes into the BBC it’s escalated swiftly, when wanted, and handled by the correct folks.

“The place the evaluate identifies course of enhancements we settle for these in full, and we’re delivering on an motion plan with plenty of enhancements already in place.”

Mr Edwards has been off air for seven months after being suspended in July over the allegations and hypothesis stays about his future on the BBC because it prepares for a basic election this 12 months.

Vicky Flind, Mr Edwards’s spouse, who named him because the presenter on the centre of the scandal after the allegations have been first reported in The Solar, stated he could be in hospital for the “foreseeable future” after he suffered a “severe episode”.

Mr Edwards, who has a historical past of psychological sick well being and has beforehand been handled for extreme despair, just isn’t but thought to have recovered and it’s unclear if he stays in hospital.

The Welsh journalist had been for years on the helm of serious political and royal occasions for the BBC.

He introduced the late Queen’s demise on the BBC final September, lined her funeral and anchored the BBC’s broadcast of the coronation of the King in Might.

The Metropolitan Police stated in July that no felony offence had taken place.

In mild of the report, the BBC stated deliberate enhancements to their non-editorial complaints course of included; better consistency throughout groups in how complaints are handled, higher use of know-how to handle complaints and work to make sure there are adequate assets throughout specialist groups coping with complaints.

They added that some modifications to the method have already been made, together with an escalation mechanism for severe complaints with oversight from a specialist group headed by an govt sponsor.