Huw Edwards

[Donny osmond]

Given that I don't read the Sun can someone enlighten me as to:

a) what he is alleged to have done

b) what he is **known** to have done that is in some way (legally and or morally) unacceptable

c) why we have decided to arbitrarily believe what was written in the Sun?

[Puja]

Given that I don't read the Sun can someone enlighten me as to:

a) what he is alleged to have done

b) what he is **known** to have done that is in some way (legally and or morally) unacceptable

c) why we have decided to arbitrarily believe what was written in the Sun?

I don't read the Sun either, but this is what I've gleaned from ancillary reporting:

The Sun alleged that he paid money to someone who was 17 for pornographic photos (which is illegal because you have to be over 18 for spicy pictures) and that he knew that person had a drug problem and he was fuelling that. Heavy implications of grooming and paedophilia.

Their source appears to be the young person's estranged parents - there appears to be little else in the way of corroboration. The young person has come out through a lawyer saying they flatly deny their parents' version of events and everything that appeared in the Sun is wrong. The Met have said that they don't believe there are any grounds for a criminal investigation (so no underage photos).

I am reluctant to take any kind of position on this, as there are so few facts and there is a distinct possibility that further information comes out which will change the situation massively. But on current viewing it appears that Edwards may have been exceptionally creepy (a 58 year old and a 17 year old together isn't necessarily always wrong, but it often is) and possibly immoral (depending on whether his marriage is set up as monogamous), but nothing illegal. It also appears that the Sun is a shit-stirring disgusting rag that gets its kicks from hunting celebrities for entertainment, but that's not exactly new information.

Puja

[J Dory]

"a 58 year old and a 17 year old together isn't necessarily always wrong" - yeah, nah. Not commenting on this one either, but in general, older dudes with young girls is at best sad and at worst predatory, and, well, gross. What's the rule, half your age plus 7?

[Donny osmond]

But, if the young person flatly denies that there's any truth to the allegations made in the Sun, why are we even thinking that HE has even been creepy? Surely, in order to believe that's he's been either creepy or immoral we have to believe at least some of what was written in the Sun which has been categorically denied by the young person involved? Point c) in my question above.

[Puja]

"a 58 year old and a 17 year old together isn't necessarily always wrong" - yeah, nah. Not commenting on this one either, but in general, older dudes with young girls is at best sad and at worst predatory, and, well, gross. What's the rule, half your age plus 7?

We're agreeing with each other here. I'm aware that every situation is individual, so I'm not willing to say *every* 58/17 relationship is weird, but the vast majority of them are.

Hells, I'm 38 and I wouldn't want anything to do with a 17 year old. The gap in life experience and outlook would just be a chasm.

Puja

[Son of Mathonwy]

But, if the young person flatly denies that there's any truth to the allegations made in the Sun, why are we even thinking that HE has even been creepy? Surely, in order to believe that's he's been either creepy or immoral we have to believe at least some of what was written in the Sun which has been categorically denied by the young person involved? Point c) in my question above.

Agreed. In the absence of evidence, and knowing the sewer-level standards practiced by the Sun, I'm assuming he's innocent at this time. Hope he sues.

[Donny osmond]

"a 58 year old and a 17 year old together isn't necessarily always wrong" - yeah, nah. Not commenting on this one either, but in general, older dudes with young girls is at best sad and at worst predatory, and, well, gross. What's the rule, half your age plus 7?

We're agreeing with each other here. I'm aware that every situation is individual, so I'm not willing to say *every* 58/17 relationship is weird, but the vast majority of them are.

Hells, I'm 38 and I wouldn't want anything to do with a 17 year old. The gap in life experience and outlook would just be a chasm.

Puja

But how do we know Edwards has had anything to do with a 17yo? Because the Sun said so?

[Which Tyler]

Having only read Puja's summary - was it an actual relationship? or "just" pornographic photos of a consenting adult?
For me, there would be a huge difference in the ick-factor between the two.

I'd also ask if there was a power differential between the two (I don't mean age and wealth, but... working in the same company/industry etc) as that would also up the ick-factor.

I'd also note the icky isn't remotely the same as illegal.

For now, I'm largely disinterested in the story, and wish it would go away so that we could concentrate on more important things (covid inquiry, influencing parliamentary standards committees, small boats, etc)

[Puja]

"a 58 year old and a 17 year old together isn't necessarily always wrong" - yeah, nah. Not commenting on this one either, but in general, older dudes with young girls is at best sad and at worst predatory, and, well, gross. What's the rule, half your age plus 7?

We're agreeing with each other here. I'm aware that every situation is individual, so I'm not willing to say *every* 58/17 relationship is weird, but the vast majority of them are.

Hells, I'm 38 and I wouldn't want anything to do with a 17 year old. The gap in life experience and outlook would just be a chasm.

Puja

But how do we know Edwards has had anything to do with a 17yo? Because the Sun said so?

Fair point. I am assuming that there was at least something that occurred rather than nothing at all, because the BBC have suspended him and his wife's statement on his behalf didn't include a blanket denial of "Absolutely nothing happened whatsoever." But given that there are bog-all details outside of the shit-stirring in the Scum (which was all provided by estranged parents), I'm leaning towards Which's position of wishing the whole thing would disappear from public discourse until something actual is known (and possibly not even return then).

Thinking that all of this came from estranged parents makes me think that there's a decent chance that the young person is an adult sex-worker making an honest living (in person or online), whose parents disapprove and this is part of a prolonged campaign of harrassment to get them to change their ways. In which case, all that Huw Edwards may be "guilty" of is paying for porn.

As you say, could be complete bollocks from start to finish. But I'm mostly staying away from having a definitive opinion because there are so many unknowns.

Puja

[Son of Mathonwy]

I'd love it if the Welsh join Liverpool's boycott of the Sun as a result of this treatment of a prominent Welshman.

[Sandydragon]

"a 58 year old and a 17 year old together isn't necessarily always wrong" - yeah, nah. Not commenting on this one either, but in general, older dudes with young girls is at best sad and at worst predatory, and, well, gross. What's the rule, half your age plus 7?

We're agreeing with each other here. I'm aware that every situation is individual, so I'm not willing to say *every* 58/17 relationship is weird, but the vast majority of them are.

Hells, I'm 38 and I wouldn't want anything to do with a 17 year old. The gap in life experience and outlook would just be a chasm.

Puja

Isn’t this the same Sun newspaper that often highlighted older men in relationships with younger women? I don’t recall any criticism of such other celebrities over the years.

I suspect that this is more about hurting the BBC, and the sun is rowing back hard on its original reporting.

Like you I find the age gap to be dubious, but I will maintain that for male female and male/male relationships. I’m not sure the Sun would have been quite so keen to report of this had been Mick Jagger with a younger woman.

I also find it disgusting that the Suns original story didn’t mention that the teenage man involved had denied his parents version of events. If the story were in public interest, and I can just about see how it is, then balanced reporting would demand that all viewpoints known at the time were aired.

And most importantly of all, somewhere there is a teenage man whose life has been turned upside down by something he denies happened. How many tabloid investigators are trying to find him right now? After all it’s public interest we know who he is so we can properly enjoy the soap opera and truly make his life miserable. I hope to Christ that doesn’t happen by the way because I fear the outcome of a vulnerable person subjected to that level of scrutiny.

[Zhivago]

The law is a mess. Age of consent is 16, but it is illegal to 'sext' (i.e. sexual texting) with someone under 18.

I echo the points already made:
-it's the Sun, let's ignore the whole thing
-police said no crime
-creepy behaviour given age gap

[Sandydragon]

Many of the opinions I’ve read or have listened to by seasoned journalists suggest that the Sun really wanted to land a punch on the BBC.

Consider that for a moment. To score a point they have ruined at least 3 lives on evidence that may not have been accurate.

[Which Tyler]

[Which Tyler]

https://bylinetimes.com/2023/07/28/mail ... d-the-bbc/

MailOnline and The Sun Hid Serious Dan Wootton Claims – While Attacking Huw Edwards and the BBC

In the fifth part of our three-year special investigation into the private and professional conduct of GB News star Dan Wootton, Byline Times can reveal how The Sun and MailOnline have been protecting their star celebrity journalist

...

ARTICLE CONTINUES

[Sandydragon]

https://bylinetimes.com/2023/07/28/mail ... d-the-bbc/

MailOnline and The Sun Hid Serious Dan Wootton Claims – While Attacking Huw Edwards and the BBC

In the fifth part of our three-year special investigation into the private and professional conduct of GB News star Dan Wootton, Byline Times can reveal how The Sun and MailOnline have been protecting their star celebrity journalist

...

ARTICLE CONTINUES

So they won’t report on it because Wooton is an employee, but how about promising to investigate a serious allegation concerning a member of staff?

This was the Sun wanting to hurt the BBC. Nothing more.

[Which Tyler]

This was the Sun wanting to hurt the BBC. Nothing more.

With a side-issue of providing a distraction from Johnson's Whatsapp messages, and failure to meet the deadline for handing his phone in.