BBC's Huw Edwards, Who Announced Queen Elizabeth's Death, Resigns on 'Medical Advice' After Sexting Claims

Huw Edwards was at the helm for the BBC coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth and the coronation of King Charles

BBC news anchor Huw Edwards, who announced that Queen Elizabeth had died on air, has left the broadcaster on medical grounds.

Edwards, 62, had been off work following claims he allegedly paid a teenager for explicit pictures.

The BBC said in a statement on April 22 that it was hoped the resignation of one of its best-known faces would enable "all parties to move forward."

"Huw Edwards has today resigned and left the BBC," the statement said. "After 40 years of service, Huw has explained that his decision was made on the basis of medical advice from his doctors. The BBC has accepted his resignation which it believes will allow all parties to move forward. We don’t believe it appropriate to comment further."

Edwards was suspended in July following allegations made in The Sun that a "well-known presenter" paid around $45,500 to a young person for sexual pictures over several years. The story was based on an interview with the person’s mother and stepfather, who said the contact began when the young person was 17. Edwards was later named by his wife, Vicky Flind, who made a statement on behalf of her family.

Related: BBC News Anchor Says He Only Learned of Queen Elizabeth's Death 10 Seconds Before Telling U.K.

It later emerged that The Sun had not spoken to the young person concerned. A lawyer for the young person then came forward and told the BBC that "nothing inappropriate" had happened. In fact, the lawyer said the young person had contacted The Sun a few days earlier to inform them of that. The Metropolitan Police in London and their counterparts in South Wales also ruled out taking any action against Edwards, saying "there was no evidence that a criminal offense had been committed," the BBC reported.

Edwards, who is the father of five children, was born in Bridgend, Wales, and spent almost all his professional life at the BBC, which he joined from a local radio station in Swansea. His final years at the BBC saw him earning around $570,000, the latest figures from the BBC showed.

He was at the helm as the BBC announced the death of Queen Elizabeth on Sept. 8, 2022. He would regularly host general election coverage and was also called upon to anchor the organization’s coverage of the late monarch's funeral and King Charles’ coronation in May 2023.

But soon afterward, reports started emerging that an as-yet-unnamed BBC staffer was involved in a sexting scandal.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Edwards had not been named until his wife issued a statement last July saying the news anchor had been suffering from depression for many years. He was seeking help, Flind said. “I am making this statement on behalf of my husband Huw Edwards, after what have been five extremely difficult days for our family."

"I am doing this primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children," the statement continued. "Huw is suffering from serious mental health issues. As is well documented, he has been treated for severe depression in recent years."

"The events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters, he has suffered another serious episode and is now receiving in-patient hospital care where he'll stay for the foreseeable future," she said. "Once well enough to do so, he intends to respond to the stories that have been published."

Flind added, "To be clear Huw was first told that there were allegations being made against him last Thursday. In the circumstances and given Huw's condition I would like to ask that the privacy of my family and everyone else caught up in these upsetting events is respected. I know that Huw is deeply sorry that so many colleagues have been impacted by the recent media speculation. We hope this statement will bring that to an end."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.