Huw Edwards (journalist)

Infobox journalist
name = Huw Edwards


caption = Edwards during an outside broadcast for BBC News in June 2006.
birthname = Huw Edwards
birth_date = birth date and age|1961|8|18|df=yes
birth_place = Bridgend, United Kingdom
occupation = Journalist, Presenter, Newsreader
ethnic = British
credits = ""Olympic Games(Various)""
"BBC News at Ten"
"BBC News Channel"

Huw Edwards (born 18 August 1961) is a British BAFTA award-winning journalist, presenter and newsreader.

He is a news presenter for BBC News in the United Kingdom. Huw presents Britain's most watched news programme, "BBC News at Ten" which is also the corporation's flagship news broadcast. He also presents an hour-long slot from 5pm on the BBC News channel.

In 2003, he was made a Fellow of the University of Wales, and in 2007 he became Honorary Professor of Journalism at Cardiff University [cite web|url=http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/articles/honorary-professorship.html|title=Honorary Professorship|accessdate=2008-07-25|publisher=Cardiff University] . In 2005, he was appointed Patron of the National College of Music. He is a competent organist and pianist, and once had ambitions of becoming a concert pianist.

He began his career at radio station, Swansea Sound, from where he joined the BBC in 1984.

Background

Edwards was born in Bridgend, United Kingdom and from the age of four was brought up in Llangennech, near Llanelli. He went to Llanelli Boys' Grammar School, as did Michael Howard. He graduated with a first class honours degree in French from University College, Cardiff. His father is the noted Welsh author and academic Professor Hywel Teifi Edwards, who is Research Professor of Welsh Literature at the University of Swansea. His mother taught at Llanelli's Ysgol Gyfun y Strade for 30 years.

He is married with five children and lives in London. [ Interview on BBC London news, 15 January 2007.]

Career

BBC

In 1986, he became the parliamentary correspondent for BBC Wales.

Between May 1999 and January 2003, Edwards presented the "BBC Six O'Clock News". During this period, the "Six O'Clock News" was the most watched news programme in Britain.

In January 2003, he became the main presenter of the "Ten O'Clock News" on BBC One. The Ten is considered the corporation's flagship news broadcast. "BBC News at Ten" has since gone on to became the most watched news programme in Britain. Along with David Dimbleby, he also presents various special programmes such as the Festival of Remembrance, Trooping the Colour and the State Opening of Parliament. Most recently, he presented coverage of the National Assembly for Wales election, 2007 for BBC Wales.

He was formerly Chief Political Correspondent for BBC News, and spent more than 14 years reporting politics from Westminster across a range of BBC programmes. He started his political reporting career in 1986 as Parliamentary Correspondent for BBC Wales, before moving to network news.

He has also presented or contributed to a range of other BBC News programmes, including "Breakfast News", "One O'Clock News", "Newsnight" and "Panorama". Since April 2006, Edwards has presented the newly established "BBC News at Five O'Clock" on the 24-hour BBC News channel.

Presenting and other appearances

Although predominantly a news journalist, Edwards has presented a wide range of programming on television and radio, including documentaries on classical music, religion, and the Welsh language, of which he is a native speaker.

Edwards was one of the three commentators for the BBC's coverage of the opening and closing ceremony's of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

He has also appeared as himself in cameo in the television series "Absolute Power", and in an episode of "Doctor Who", where he fronted coverage of a fictionalised 2012 Olympics.

References

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/halloffame/showbiz/huwedwards.shtml South Wales Hall of Fame]

Persondata
NAME = Edwards, Huw
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Welsh journalist
DATE OF BIRTH = 18 August 1961
PLACE OF BIRTH = Bridgend, Wales
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =