BREAKING: Huw Edwards named as BBC presenter facing allegations over payments for sexually explicit images

News reader Huw Edward has been named as the BBC presenter facing allegations over payments for sexually explicit images.

Mr Edwards was named in a statement issued by his wife Vicky Flind on Wednesday evening.

It comes after claims made in The Sun that an unnamed news reader paid a young person around £35,000 over three years, from the age of 17, for sexually explicit images.

In a statement released to the PA news agency, Vicky Flind, the wife of BBC news reader Huw Edwards said: “In light of the recent reporting regarding the ‘BBC Presenter’ 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.

“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.

“Once well enough to do so, he intends to respond to the stories that have been published.

“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.”

The statement comes as the Metropolitan Police said no criminal offence had been committed by the presenter.

A BBC spokesperson