why is huw edwards in cardiff?

He’s a man for all seasons, a proven broadcaster with gravitas who can handle all occasions, but just imagine Huw Edwards hosting Eurovision in Cardiff.

If that doesn’t get you excited then nothing will.

As debate rages over where next year’s Eurovision Song Contest should be held after it was announced the United Kingdom would host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023 on behalf of Ukraine, the Welsh broadcaster threw his hat into the ring to host the event – if it came to Cardiff.

Writing in response to a tweet which outlined why Cardiff was the ideal destination for Eurovision, the news presenter said: ‘This is so obviously right 👇🏻 and your presenter is standing by’ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Organisers the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) previously decided the event could not be held in the war-torn country following the Russian invasion.

This was despite Ukrainian entry Kalush Orchestra triumphing at this year’s competition in Turin, Italy, with the UK’s Sam Ryder coming runner-up.

Ukraine will automatically qualify for the grand final alongside the so-called big five nations – the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, who each get a free pass because of their financial contributions to the event.

It will be the ninth time Eurovision has taken place in the UK – more than any other country.

The bidding process to select the host city will begin this week and will be jointly managed by the BBC and EBU.

The winner would require a large events space, suitable accommodation and international transport links for the competing countries and their delegations.

The Welsh Government today confirmed it could bid to host the event. A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We remain open to discussions around bringing exciting major events to Wales. As ever, any discussion would involve full engagement with partners, assessment of likely costs and benefits and consideration of a detailed technical specification.”

The Principality Stadium last month stated that it would love to host the competition. A spokesperson for the venue said: “We would relish the opportunity to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 here at Principality Stadium, Cardiff. We have a 20-year history of successfully hosting the biggest music artists and sporting events in the world; and to add Eurovision, the world’s biggest and much-loved music competition to the list, would be the cherry on top of the last two decades.”

In a statement, BBC director-general Tim Davie said: “It is a matter of great regret that our colleagues and friends in Ukraine are not able to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.

“Being asked to host the largest and most complex music competition in the world is a great privilege.

“The BBC is committed to making the event a true reflection of Ukrainian culture alongside showcasing the diversity of British music and creativity.”

This year’s contest in May saw Ryder top the jury vote before Kalush Orchestra went on to win overall following a symbolic show of public support which saw them soar to first place with 631 points.

They had been the frontrunners since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February – which prompted organisers to ban the Russian entrant from competing.

Recently, Huw was drafted in for one of the most important jobs in his career - delivering the news that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had died. Huw's calm and collected manner during the early evening BBC News bulletin on Thursday, September 8 was universally praised as he announced the tragic news and now, people far and wide, are calling for the newsreader to be knighted by the new King. One of the most talked about men in the country on the day the Queen died, Huw's royal coverage has continued in the days that have followed. On Monday, September 12, whilst covering Scotland's tribute to the late monarch, viewers called for Huw to 'have a day off' after he was spotted with a bloodshot eye during the broadcast.

Known for being the BBC's 'go-to guy' when it comes to major news, Huw began his career in broadcasting at an early age. His passion for journalism has taken him from the Swansea Sound radio station to the main stage of the BBC and ever one to 'send the elevator back down', he regularly shares his expertise with budding journalists of the future at Welsh universities. But how did Huw's own journey in media begin?

Read more: Huw Edwards put in a remarkable shift as he told Britain the Queen had died

Born in Bridgend, Huw's Welsh-speaking family moved to Llangennech, near Llanelli, when he was four years old. His father, Hywel Teifi Edwards, was a Plaid Cymru and Welsh language activist and his mother was Aerona Protheroe, a teacher at Llanelli's Ysgol Gyfun y Strade.

Last year, during an S4C documentary that celebrated Huw's 60th birthday, the newsreader spoke of his turbulent relationship with his father. He said: "We weren't that close to be honest - not like me and mam, because dad wasn't that present when I was growing up. He could be quite sharp. I laugh when people tell me that dad was full of humour and that he always had a smile on his face. I often think - what, do you live on the same planet as me? Yes, he could be very witty and he could laugh. He could be very sharp-tongued at times and if you were on the receiving end of that, it wasn't very fun." You can read more about this here.

The BBC veteran was educated at Llanelli Boys' Grammar School and graduated with a first-class honours degree in French from University College, Cardiff, in 1983. After his first degree, he started postgraduate work at Cardiff University in Medieval French, before becoming a reporter for local radio station Swansea Sound and then joining the BBC in 1984. Little did Huw know that this decision was going to change the course of his life forever.

Two years after joining the BBC as a news trainee, Huw became Parliamentary Correspondent for BBC Wales. He would stay in this role until May 1999 when he took over as host of the BBC Six O'Clock News. It was during this time that the programme would become the most-watched programme in Britain.

In a natural progression, Huw would leave the Six O'Clock News in 2003 and step up to the main stage of the BBC Ten O'Clock News - a position he still holds today. Proving popular with viewers and BBC bosses, Huw has become synonymous with his signature hand-on-desk pose at the start of each broadcast. The stance, itself, even has its own Twitter account and when Huw doesn't do it, you know something is wrong.

Huw is also the main face of the BBC's coverage of the Festival of Remembrance, Trooping the Colour and the State Opening of Parliament. In 2019, he took over from David Dimbleby as the main host of BBC's election coverage. During his first time as lead-host, Conservative MP Boris Johnson won a landslide majority over Labour rival Jeremy Corbyn and became the UK's Prime Minister.

Alongside his political coverage, he also leads the BBC's coverage on the Royal Family. Over the years, he has covered the Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, as well as the Diamond and Platinum Jubilee in 2012 and 2022 respectively. Following Queen Elizabeth's death and his subsequent praise for announcing the news, Huw responded on Instagram. He wrote: "My work is a privilege (Thank you for all your messages)" and got a huge response to the post.

All good things come to an end though and Huw has admitted that whilst his work is a 'privilege', he has contemplated his future with the BBC. In August 2021, he told BBC Radio Cymru: "Now that a big milestone is here, which is 60-years-old, it's natural for a man to think 'Am I going to continue in this job for another five years, or do I want to do something different?'"

He added: "The nightly news business, after 20 years, that can be taxing, even though I still enjoy the job. But I don't think I'll be doing that for long. Because I believe that, in the first place, I think it's fair for the viewers to get a change."

Known for being very private about his personal life, Huw rarely shares photos of his family with his followers. He is married to TV producer, Vicky Flind, and the couple have five children. Vicky used to work for the BBC herself and was a long-standing editor of the BBC's The Week politics show. She left her role in 2016 and moved to rival ITV show Peston.

Huw's life isn't all hard-hitting, serious news. In 2012, he made an appearance in James Bond film Skyfall (admittedly as himself, reporting on a fictional attack on MI6). He has also appeared on BBC One's Mary Berry's Christmas Party, Would I Lie To You? and even made a cameo role in Doctor Who.

Aside from his journalism work, Huw is also a keen boxer and regularly posts photos of himself in the ring. In fact, it was his passion for boxing that helped him to not only shed a few pounds but also manage his mental health. In the past, he has opened up about suffering with depression since 2002 and cites fitness as being a coping mechanism.

Speaking to Men's Health UK magazine earlier this year, Huw said it's "pretty clear" that he has suffered with depression in the past, and continues to do so now, and explained that the condition can cause him to struggle to make decisions, dread going to work and, ultimately, struggle to get out of bed.

He said: "I'm pretty clear that I have suffered - and do suffer - from depression," he told magazine columnist and mental health campaigner Alastair Campbell. "It's not anxiety, although it includes anxiety, but it tends to hit me in a strong wave and then go away... I think 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. "Things that you usually enjoy, you dread. You come into work and obviously you do a professional job, but you're kind of pushing your way through it. And, of course, if it's very bad - as it has been a few times over the course of 20 years - you can't work. During the worst one I had, I couldn't get out of bed."

In two years, Huw Edwards celebrates 40 years of working as a journalist. Over this time, he has covered countless events for the BBC. With a new King proclaimed and the keys to Number 10 now in Liz Truss' hands, we've no doubt that the Welsh broadcaster will have a busy few months ahead of him. It remains to be seen if we will all be referring to him as 'Sir Huw' in the near future but we wouldn't be surprised if it did happen. You can get more celebrity news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.

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Huw Edwards (/hiːʊ, hjuː/; born 18 August 1961) is a Welsh journalist, presenter, and newsreader. Edwards presents BBC News at Ten, the corporation's flagship news broadcast.

Edwards also presents BBC coverage of state events, international events, the hour-long BBC News at Five on the BBC's rolling news channel BBC News and occasionally presents either as relief or as the BBC's chief presenter BBC News at Six, BBC News at One, BBC Weekend News and Daily Politics, as well as on the BBC's international news channel BBC World News. Edwards presented the BBC's coverage of major royal events, including the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the death and state funeral of Elizabeth II.

Edwards succeeded David Dimbleby as the host of BBC election night coverage and was the lead presenter for the 2019 general election coverage on 12 and 13 December.[1]

Huw Edwards was born on 18 August 1961 in Bridgend, Glamorgan, Wales,[2] into a Welsh-speaking family, and, from the age of four, was brought up in Llangennech, near Llanelli.[3] His father, Hywel Teifi Edwards, was a Plaid Cymru and Welsh language activist,[4] and an author and academic, who was Research Professor of Welsh-language Literature at University College, Swansea.[5] Edwards' mother, Aerona Protheroe, taught at Llanelli's Ysgol Gyfun y Strade for 30 years. He has one sister, Meinir. He was educated at Llanelli Boys' Grammar School[6] and graduated with a first-class honours degree in French from University College, Cardiff, in 1983.[7] After his first degree, he started postgraduate work at Cardiff University in Medieval French, before becoming a reporter for local radio station Swansea Sound and then joining the BBC.[8]

Edwards spent a short time on work experience at the commercial radio station Swansea Sound, before joining the BBC as a news trainee in 1984.[9][10] In 1986 he became Parliamentary Correspondent for BBC Wales.

Between 1994 and January 2003, Edwards presented the BBC Six O'Clock News.[11] During this period, this was the most watched news programme in Britain.

In January 2003, Edwards became the main presenter of the Ten O'Clock News on BBC One, the corporation's flagship news broadcast. 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. He led the BBC commentary team at the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2012 London Olympics and 2014 Commonwealth Games. He has presented several election specials, including coverage of the 2007 National Assembly for Wales election for BBC Wales and also the BBC coverage of the United States elections, 2008 results and the inauguration of Barack Obama. 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.

Edwards 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 on the 24-hour BBC News channel. On 29 April 2011 he presented the BBC coverage of the Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. The coverage was watched by 20 million viewers at peak in the United Kingdom[12] and the team won a BAFTA Award for Best Coverage of a Live Event.[13][14] In June 2012 he presented the BBC coverage of the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II.[15] In December 2013 he led the first few hours of BBC News coverage of the death of Nelson Mandela on BBC One, BBC News Channel and BBC World News. In 2014 Edwards presented BBC Local Elections taking over coverage from David Dimbleby.

Edwards shared the BBC's 2015 general election and 2016 EU referendum coverage with Dimbleby.[citation needed] In May 2018 he shared the presentation of the BBC coverage of the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.[16] In April 2021, he presented the rolling coverage across BBC One, BBC Two, BBC News Channel and BBC World News following the death of Prince Philip, as well as funeral coverage on the 17 April.[17]

In August 2021 Edwards admitted that he was contemplating his future. "Now that a big milestone is here, which is 60-years-old, it's natural for a man to think 'Am I going to continue in this job for another five years, or do I want to do something different?'", he told BBC Radio Cymru. "The nightly news business, after 20 years, that can be taxing, even though I still enjoy the job. But I don't think I'll be doing that for long. Because I believe that, in the first place, I think it's fair for the viewers to get a change."[18]

On 8 September 2022, he announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II,[19] presenting rolling news coverage from around 14:00 BST following an announcement from Buckingham Palace earlier in the day.[20] He later presented the BBC's coverage of the Queen's funeral on 19 September.[21]

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, and hosted various events such as the BAFTA Cymru award ceremonies.[22] He has a particular interest in history and has presented documentaries on many historical subjects, including Owain Glyndŵr, the South Wales Valleys, Gladstone and Disraeli and a series following the work of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales.

He presented Bread of Heaven with Huw Edwards, a documentary about the impact of religion in Wales which won the 2005 BAFTA Cymru for best documentary and nominations in four other categories.[23]

In September 2008, the BBC Trust ruled that a documentary presented by Edwards on the subject of Welsh politics had broken the organisation's editorial guidelines. The programme, entitled Wales: Power and the People – Back to the Future, addressed the topic of the Welsh Assembly, with Edwards stating, "to achieve its full potential it needs even greater support for the people of Wales than it's received so far ... the more people that take part, the stronger and healthier our democracy in Wales will be." Following a complaint, the governing body concluded that Edwards' words were not objective and even-handed on the subject stating' "it is not the role of BBC presenters to encourage audiences to exercise their right to vote on particular occasions." It was also found that the documentary as a whole was biased against the Conservative Party.[24][25]

In 2010 Edwards presented a programme titled The Prince and the Plotter about the Investiture of the Prince of Wales, and the part played by Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru, receiving the "Best on Screen presenter" at the BAFTA Cymru Awards for his work.[26]

In February 2012 he launched a historical documentary series made by BBC Wales, entitled The Story of Wales.[27] Also in 2012, Edwards appeared as himself in a cameo role in the 23rd James Bond film Skyfall, presenting a BBC News report on a fictionalised attack on the British intelligence service MI6.[28]

In 2015 he presented a history of the Welsh colony in Patagonia—in English and Welsh versions—to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the colony's establishment.[29]

In December 2018 Edwards was a guest of Mary Berry in BBC One's Mary Berry's Christmas Party.[30]

In December 2022 Edwards was the narrator for the BBC Four programme Organ Stops: Saving the King of Instruments.[31]

In March 2011 Edwards opened Swansea University's "Hoffi Coffi" cafe in the library, created to support the aims of Academi Hywel Teifi, named after his father who spent his academic career at the university. He gave a speech in Welsh as he unveiled a wall mural of a poem by Tudur Hallam, Professor of Welsh at the university and chair of the previous year's Eisteddfod, saying it was a moving tribute to his father, who had died in January 2010.[32][33]

In 2003 Edwards was made a Fellow of the University of Wales and in 2007 became Honorary Professor of Journalism at Cardiff University.[34] In 2005 he was appointed Patron of the National College of Music and in October 2008 he was appointed President of the London Welsh Trust which runs the London Welsh Centre.[35] In April 2009 he was elected Vice President, later Pro Chancellor, of Cardiff University for four years.[36][37] He was honorary President of London's Gwalia Male Choir from 2005–2016,[38] and is a vice president of the National Churches Trust.[39]

Edwards has been critical of some England-based newspapers for printing stories dismissive of the use of the Welsh language. In 2020 he responded to comments in The Times written by scientist Michael Pepper in which it was suggested that his late colleague John Meurig Thomas wrote notes in Welsh purely to stop others from reading them; Edwards pointed out that Welsh speakers do not "use our native language in our daily lives simply to thwart others".[40] In 2021 he criticised former journalist Max Hastings for claiming that the Welsh language was of "marginal value" and that Wales could not succeed as an independent country because it was "dependent on English largesse".[41]

On 5 July 2019 Edwards was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.[42] In 2022, he was appointed a Vice-President of The Bach Choir.

He is also an amateur organist, taught to play at a chapel in Llanelli, and occasionally plays at the Jewin Welsh Presbyterian Chapel in Clerkenwell, north London.[43]

He earned £550,000 – £599,999 as a BBC presenter for several years. His salary was reduced voluntarily in the light of gender pay differences found within the BBC.[44] Press Gazette announced his new salary to be £520,000 – £529,999 as of July 2018.[2] His salary was further reduced in 2019, with his salary as of May 2021 was reported to be £465,000.[45]

Edwards is married to Vicky Flind, a television producer, whose credits include editing This Week and Peston.[46][47] The couple live in Dulwich, London, and have five children.[46][48] Edwards is an active Christian and is a weekly churchgoer.[49] Edwards was awarded a PhD, on Welsh Chapels in London and Llanelli, by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David in 2018.[50] He has stated that he has had bouts of depression since 2002.[51]