Huw Edwards absent from BBC’s King’s Speech coverage as Nicky Campbell anchors

Edwards covered the late Queen’s funeral in 2022 and most recently the coronation of the King in May this year for the BBC.

Journalist Huw Edwards has previously been at the helm of significant political and royal events for the BBC (Chris Jackson/PA) (PA Archive)

Huw Edwards was notably absent from the BBC’s coverage of the first King’s Speech for more than 70 years as the major event was anchored instead by TV and radio presenter Nicky Campbell.

Welsh journalist Edwards, who has been at the helm of significant political and royal events for the corporation, was named in July as the BBC presenter at the centre of allegations about payments to a young person for explicit images.

Campbell talked through elements of the King’s Speech and procedure for the state opening of Parliament on Tuesday alongside royal journalist Robert Hardman, Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant and SNP MP Kirsty Blackman.

In the days leading up to Edwards being identified publicly, BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Campbell was among BBC presenters forced to deny being the then unnamed presenter.

The King paid tribute to his mother the late Queen’s “legacy of service and devotion” during his first state opening as monarch as well as outlining the Government’s plans.

Across four decades, 62-year-old Edwards had been on-hand during significant political moments and royal deaths and weddings

He announced the late Queen’s death on the BBC last September, covered her funeral and anchored the BBC’s broadcast of the coronation of the King in May.

The former Westminster correspondent presented the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and Platinum Jubilee in 2022, the wedding of the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011, the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018, and the funeral of the then Duke of Edinburgh in 2021.

The BBC News At Ten presenter was also the broadcaster’s voice at Trooping the Colour and the Festival of Remembrance and had taken over election coverage from the long-serving David Dimbleby in 2019.

The Metropolitan Police said in July that no criminal offence had taken place.

The BBC is looking at its protocols and procedures after concerns were raised by the young person’s family in The Sun newspaper.

The corporation had previously confirmed it suspended the BBC presenter, who was later revealed to be Edwards.