Huw Edwards illness: Depression struggles explored amid BBC absence

As the BBC continues to find itself under fire over its recent presenter scandal, news presenter Huw Edwards' absence from prime time has piqued the curiosity of netizens online.

The notable presenter was last seen on screen on he 5th of July, where he was tasked with covering King Charles' visit to Scotland.

As a result, speculation about the Ten O'Clock News presenter's status has ensued online, with his 20-year-long struggle with mental health and depression coming to the forefront once again.

This comes at a tumultuous time when recently, the mother of the minor involved in the incident complained to the BBC about how one of their male TV presenters had been exploiting her kid for the past 3 years. She added that the girl used the money to fund her cocaine addiction.

However, on account of there being insufficient response from BBC's end, the mother then took her story to The Sun, which made the news public.

It must be noted that the identity of the man was not revealed at the time.

On July 6, it was reported that the presenter in question had been suspended.

As the story spiraled, there was much speculation regarding the identity of the suspended man, with wild conjectures being made online at multiple notable presenters.

One of these afflicted by the same is Huw Edwards, with his 2022 interview with Men's Health, where he discussed his struggles with mental health and grief, attracting renewed interest once again.

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What did Huw Edwards say about depression?

In his May 2022 interview with mental health columnist, Alastair Campbell, the veteran BBC news presenter revealed that he has been battling depression and anxiety since 2002 and it tends to "hit (him) in a strong wave and then go away." He remarked that it has frequently left him "bedridden."

"At least I now know when I'm going to enter a phase like that. Your mind goes into a place where you don't want to do anything. You can't make any decisions." he added.

Edwards explained that at times, going to work and doing a professional job was difficult as he was "kind of pushing (his) way through it."

Talking about how his peers and superiors reacted to the revelation, he stated that at first there was a "deep freeze-silence" from them. He added that a colleague remarked that BBC "doesn’t want people to think there’s a nutter reading the Ten o’clock news." However, his former bosses were supportive.

In his discussion on a podcast hosted by BBC journalists Jane Garvey and Fi Glove, the Ten O'Clock News presenter stated:

"People don’t understand what the BBC is like. It can be a very sympathetic and supportive organization. It can be not that. It’s a very bureaucratic organization."

Back in August 2022, the BBC news presenter revealed that he gained weight due to depression, as he turned to junk food to "numb his emotional pain," after his father's death in 2010.

However, following his wife Vicky's advice, he asked for lightweight boxing champion Clinton McKenzie's help to get him fit. According to the Irish Mirror, Huw Edwards has since religiously focused on his training, which helped him in his struggles with depression.

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As Huw Edwards continues to make headlines, a rumor suggesting he has cancer has also been circulating on social media. These seem to be falsified to gain attention. It is to be noted, however, that the Welsh journalist lost his father due to cancer.

Huw Edwards has been associated with the BBC since 1984, starting as a trainee and working his way up to becoming a main broadcasting presenter.