GUILTY

This year, The Sun broke the shocking story that BBC anchor Huw Edwards had been charged with making indecent images, with the Met and CPS finally confirming the news after months of questioning by Sun reporters.

The next day’s front page, featuring a striking photo of the shamed newsreader in sunglasses outside court, carried the simple headline GUILTY. This followed a near 18-month investigation into the off-screen abuse of power by the veteran newsman, which led to an apology from the BBC and Edwards’ departure from the corporation this year. The investigation has been the most followed story of the last 18 months, dominating print, online and broadcast news. Until our revelatory, properly considered and courageous story, Edwards was one of the most powerful figures in the BBC - widely considered to be untouchable, and of impeccable character. The GUILTY front page was the culmination of that investigation, one that would see The Sun face intense pressure and scrutiny. Every subsequent story on his downfall highlighted The Sun’s original reporting. Media commentators have acknowledged that it was our journalism which established a clear pattern of behaviour by Edwards. Since his conviction, we have revealed a number of other stories that show an abuse of power by the ex-presenter, including other payments to people who were sending him sexual images.