[ViridianFan]

Another name to keep in the mix is Kirsty Young, who has been sharing some of those high profile jobs with the likes of Edwards in recent years and has a journalistic background. I could see them asking her to front some more of those programmes in place of Edwards.

I really like that idea. I thought she was fantastic during the Queens funeral. Without wanting to sound creepy, her voice sounds authoritative but also reassuring with that softness which doesn’t pull focus. She had me in tears with her closing speech that day. I’ve always found Huws voice the same. 

Going a bit left field here, but someone I thought of the other day was Shaun Ley. He’s got the experienced of rolling news; he always showed great knowledge on the subject but he was always seemed so enthusiastic about it all and that he was genuinely enjoying himself and found it interesting. Personally would much rstehr someone like him then someone very dry trying to be humorous

[Humphrey Hacker]

My first post on different (purple) forum was in a thread discussing Andrew Marr leaving the BBC. I remarked at the time that - with a little thought - the BBC could resolve a number of issues and set the bulletins up for a decade or so. I compared it to a game of 4D chess.

I'm still of that mind. However, the BBC needs to decide upon which non-news roles are acceptable for its journalists to take on and which are not. Is it right that Fiona Bruce should have so much of her time taken up by filming the Antiques Roadshow, Question Time and Fake or Fortune? I have less of an objection to Question Time as it's a news and current affairs programme. How many people look at Fiona Bruce and think "Presenter" or "Antiques" rather than "Journalist"?

By the same token, I'm not convinced that Clive Myrie should be presenting Mastermind. It's easier for him at the moment as he's associated so strongly with news (and war zones) but in time, how many people will see him and think "Presenter" or "Mastermind" rather than "Journalist"? He's already gone down the path of a 'road trip' documentary through Italy.

It isn't helpful when roles are blurred and the filming requirements for these broadcasts mean that the burden is taken up by others within the newsroom. I don't have an objection if a journalist does a documentary - Dimbleby, Marr and Edwards all did them - but the documentary should be (call me a snob if you must) substantial. I'm not sure a jolly through Italy quite cuts it.  As much as I love gardening, I'm not sure that Sophie Raworth should be doing the Chelsea Flower Show, but this is one of the rare occasions when she appears on something other than the news or a consumer affair programme.

Of course, the Huw Edwards issue revealed a failure (shocking, I know) of BBC management. They placed all of their eggs in one basket. Anchor of the Six/Ten, State events, commentator, etc. When that linchpin is removed so suddenly it leaves a hole that must be filled. Should that hole be filled by an individual or by two or three individuals? It's a question that needs to be answered sooner rather than later (especially as an election could be called anytime between now and the end of 2024).

I know who I would like to see more of and I know who I think deserve certain roles (if being deserving is sufficient). But to achieve it you'd need to look across the BBC's output, from the Today programme on Radio 4 to Newsnight on BBC Two.

Apologies for the double post.

The notion of a single 'face' or 'voice' for BBC News is one that has always seemed odd to me. There are many fine newscasters and I think the corporation has relied on too few. The Edwards saga has proved the the BBC rely too much on less than a handful of presenters and has taken a battering in the public because of it.

The likes of CBS and NBC build their main bulletins around their anchors which to me makes their bulletins more like The (insert name) Show.

I think what's needed is a dual approach:

Have the 1, 6 and 10 be helmed by 2 specific presenters each with regular replacements.

When it comes to the likes of The Antiques Roadshow either have a presenter that has left news-reading and has gone to 'feature programmes' or copy Bargain Hunt and have a team of rotating presenters.

(Now If you'll excuse me I'll take cover!)

[Brekkie]

They didn't let Shaun Ley do much more than the weekend lunchtime bulletins on BBC1 - think we can probably rule him out.

[steve]

I think Kirsty Young is a brilliant shout.

I know election night isn’t what it was, but Dimbleby doing it - someone who appeared weekly at most for QT most of the time - made it an event, an occasion, in the way Huw doing it just didn’t really.

Kirsty has proved in these past few years she is an incredible broadcaster, she anchored 9/11 breaking news like the consumate pro she is, and has warmth but sharp questioning when needed (Desert Island Discs proved that).

I know her health needs protecting, but if I were BBC bosses I’d be taking all the ‘Dimbleby roles’ and giving them to her rather than as they had been doing splitting them between her and Huw.

[RhysJR]

The Today Programme is launching a weekly podcast to go alongside the daily Radio 4 show, presented by Amol Rajan and Nick Robinson.

Funny how nobody has mentioned Amol Rajan taking the lead on election nights, he's presented almost everything else at the BBC...
(PS I'm not being entirely serious here of course)

twitter.com 

[UTVLifer]

I think Kirsty Young is a brilliant shout.

I know election night isn’t what it was, but Dimbleby doing it - someone who appeared weekly at most for QT most of the time - made it an event, an occasion, in the way Huw doing it just didn’t really.

Kirsty has proved in these past few years she is an incredible broadcaster, she anchored 9/11 breaking news like the consumate pro she is, and has warmth but sharp questioning when needed (Desert Island Discs proved that).

I know her health needs protecting, but if I were BBC bosses I’d be taking all the ‘Dimbleby roles’ and giving them to her rather than as they had been doing splitting them between her and Huw.

I could quite easily see Kirsty taking over the royal side of duties, having quite quickly cemented  herself in that role over the last 18 months with the Platinum Jubilee, Queen's funeral and the coronation all occurring in quick succession. 

I would imagine that when Dimbleby finally steps away from doing Remembrance Sunday, it'll probably go to Kirsty or Huw.

It'll be interesting to see what happens for the King's Speech, which is reportedly coming up in November

[Radio_man]

Whilst it's looking increasingly unlikely that Huw Edwards will not return to presenting on the BBC in the near future, I find talk of his permanent departure premature.
It took the police just a few days to declare that no criminal offence had been committed relating The Sun's supposed allegations against him, which we know we're highly ambiguous anyway.

What we're waiting for is for the BBC to conclude their internal investigation into him. However, the way the BBC has completely disallowed any use of archive footage that includes him I find extreme.

This article from early September said that Huw is "still medically unfit to work" and also says this:

"Two months on, little is known about Edwards’ wellbeing or whether he plans to take legal action against The Sun or the BBC, which some believe is a possibility if he loses his job over the scandal.

Edwards has a reputation for defending himself robustly and few think he will go quietly should he make a good recovery from his mental health issues."

deadline.com 

Huw Edwards: BBC Considers Replacing Presenter On Election Night Show – Deadline
Huw Edwards could be replaced by another presenter on election night as the BBC …
  Source: deadline.com

[i.h]

I know her health needs protecting, but if I were BBC bosses I’d be taking all the ‘Dimbleby roles’ and giving them to her rather than as they had been doing splitting them between her and Huw.

or maybe the BBC could stop relying on one person to do all the "Dimbleby roles"? they've got a number of good presenters who would be more than capable and the load could be spread around.

it wasn't ideal when it was the Dimbleby Dynasty, it wasn't ideal when it was Edwards, it's not ideal now that there's (possibly) a gap.

in other industries this is often called the "bus factor" - ie the importance to the business or how disruptive it would be if any particular person was taken out of action.

[House]

Whilst it's looking increasingly unlikely that Huw Edwards will not return to presenting on the BBC in the near future, I find talk of his permanent departure premature.

I agree with that, and certainly my suggestions were not premised on Edwards having permanently left, but rather the reality that he is currently off air and there is no indication he is to return to any of his roles at the BBC anytime soon and he will need to be replaced (even if only in the short or medium term).

I do think one of the things working against Edwards now, though, is that part of his success in his roles has been because he was a comforting but uncontroversial figure. Broadcasters involved in interviewing politicians regularly, for example, tend to develop quite polarising opinions amongst viewers/listeners. Others can be perceived as either too serious, or ‘not serious enough’ because they cover entertainment or non-news programming too. Edwards always managed to somehow tread a middle ground of avoiding controversy or strong opinions about him, while being very well known and respected. Sort of the ideal example of a safe pair of hands.

I think whatever happens - and however fair or unfair that might be - the BBC’s own coverage of his situation has irreparably changed that ‘neutral’ image he had. That’s not to say he couldn’t come back from that, but if that matters to the BBC then people like Kirsty Young might seem a more attractive choice going forwards.

[DTV]

That Deadline article mentions Jeremy Vine as a possibility, which I had not considered (probably due to my mind trying its best to erase his contributions to previous election night programmes).

I'm not sure I agree, though, that it's 'premature' to talk of a replacement. Without a complete exhoneration (which seems unlikely), I just struggle to see a route back, especially not to lead special event presenter. The relationship between a newsreader and the audience is built on trust and I suspect that link is now broken in Huw's case.