Disgraced former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has sparked controversy after entering a Welsh poetry competition under a pseudonym, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from actress Sera Cracroft, who said it would have been “catastrophic” if he had won.
Edwards' pseudonymous entry
Edwards, who received a six-month suspended sentence in September 2024 for accessing indecent images of children as young as seven, submitted a poem to the National Eisteddfod of Wales festival under the pseudonym “Y Gelyn” (Welsh for “The Enemy”). The competition theme was “adnabod” (meaning “knowing”), and Edwards described the poem as a tribute to his late father, a historian of the National Eisteddfod.
According to the festival's rules, entrants must submit under a pseudonym, with winners' identities only revealed upon announcement. The winner this year was former BBC journalist Martin Huws, who received £750 for a poem about abuse.
Cracroft's reaction
Sera Cracroft, best known for her role in the long-running BBC Welsh language soap opera Pobol y Cwm, told the BBC that Edwards' participation was “far too soon for him to try and redeem himself.” She said the “image of him being crowned in front of the nation” would be “hurtful to survivors.” Cracroft, who has publicly spoken about being sexually assaulted as a child, also called on the competition's organisers to review rules regarding entrants using a pen name.
In response, the National Eisteddfod issued a statement: “We have a process in place which ensures nobody, including the judges, know beforehand who has competed. After each Eisteddfod, we have a period of appraisal to ensure our processes are appropriate – this year will be no exception.”
Edwards' defence
In a Substack post on Sunday, Edwards wrote that “one of the most distressing episodes in 2024 was seeing the nature of my relationship with my father wilfully misrepresented by the media.” He referenced consultant psychiatrist Michael Isaac's report, cited in sentencing remarks by chief magistrate Paul Goldspring, which noted that Edwards's father was “perceived as behaving monstrously within the family” and that the relationship was “probably damaging psychologically.”
Edwards added: “The poisonous narrative encouraged by the press two years ago needed correcting. There was no way on earth I was going to win the competition and I knew that.” He also lashed out at Cracroft, calling her “sickeningly self-righteous” and accusing her of ignoring “the damaging effects of mental ill health.”
Impact and ongoing debate
The incident has reignited discussions about Edwards' public presence following his conviction. Critics argue that his attempt to re-enter cultural life is premature, while supporters point to his mental health struggles. The National Eisteddfod of Wales did not respond to a request for comment from the Guardian.
