Huw Edwards, chief presenter and face of the BBC, has been named by his wife as as the personality facing allegations involving a teenager and sex photos, saying he is now an in-patient receiving mental care and will answer the claims soon. Other complaints have been made with suggestions of inappropriate behaviour in the office and on a dating website.
Out of an abundance of caution it should be said – nothing has been proved and the police have said there was no criminality involved. He has not resigned, although is suspended and while UK libel laws do allow for a public interest defence, in general it is best to adhere to the adage – if you can’t prove it, don’t print it. Repeating gossip (which may be wrong) does not constitute proof and is no defence.
However having said all that Jon Sopel, a BBC colleague and friend, did put out a tweet in which he said – “no criminality, but perhaps a complicated private life.” I would be grateful when posting comments if you could keep in mind the above.
Born 18 August 1961 in Bridgend, Wales, no birth time, with a Welsh-activist academic father, Huw Edwards is married with five grown up children. He has an attention-seeking Leo Sun conjunct Uranus, North Node, Mercury also in entertaining Leo. North Node in Leo gives him leadership ability. In negative mode Leo can appear arrogant and he did have a reputation for mixing with management rather than those below him in rank – the driving force behind which is usually a sense of inner emptiness requiring constant affirmation. Sun Uranus can be a maverick and certainly dislikes compromise.
He also has a Saturn Jupiter conjunction in Capricorn which may be significant. For many this is a comme ci comme ca aspect but for a few – Princess Diana, John Lennon, certain US Presidents – it has an overly expansionary side. The Jupiterian magnification factor flies them too high near the gods of Olympus, of which Zeus/Jove/Jupiter was the supreme being. At which point Saturn steps in with a sharp reality check to remind them they are human and subject to the same restrictions of morality and/or mortality as everyone else. In Roman times a slave would stand behind a triumphant general on a victory parade to remind him of his own mortality. It needn’t be as bleak as death dealing, but it can bring hubris down to earth with a bump if their Jupiterian streak gets out of control.
His emotional planets include a Scorpio Moon maybe conjunct Neptune and trine Venus in Cancer, sextile Pluto hinting at a passionate side that was not much on view.
At the moment tr Pluto is just off the trine to his Mars, repeating throughout 2024 which is stuck and frustrated. At the moment he has tr Pluto conjunct his Jupiter, which on its own can be successful, but clearly Jupiter’s ‘Miracle Grow’ qualities turned his public persona into a hulking green giant.
This year he does have a career-denting tr Pluto conjunct his Jupiter/Saturn midpoint later this year with a stuck tr Saturn opposition his Pluto and a jolted, jangled and confused 2024.
His interface with the BBC is highly Neptunian with his Sun conjunct the BBC Neptune and his Neptune conjunct the BBC Mercury – dream weavers united but not always realistic or straightforward.
His relationship chart with the BBC is odd – a bad-tempered, one-sided composite Mars Saturn in a high-tension opposition to Uranus sextile/trine Sun, Mercury and Pluto – very tied together but a simmering cauldron of undercurrents of resentment and disagreement. The Uranus and Mars Saturn are being battered this year by tr Saturn in square. There’s also an illusory composite Sun Neptune conjunction which tr Neptune is undermining this year and tr Pluto putting additional strain on.
If the general drift of the allegations hold water – and we don’t know yet – the word that came to my mind was ‘untouchable’ (an illusion/delusion thereof). Anyone who indulges in that kind of behaviour in a public position especially nowadays with a febrile and rancid social media never mind hawk-eyed tabloids has to imagine they are somehow wrapped in a magic invisibility cloak and can’t be exposed or held to account.
No doubt more will crawl out of the woodwork as time goes on.
People are so quick to condemn others while not in possession of all the facts Huw Edwards was obviously suffering some sort of mental turmoil which is difficult for non sufferers to comprehend
While I in no way wish to belittle the impact his actions have had on the family concerned , they were hardly the actions of a person in sound mind. I am not making excuses for Huw and I am sure in the fullness of time, as his wife explained,there will be an explanation and an apology
Here in Wales, he is a bit of a hero, He has made several programmes onthe Welsh tv channel so his downfall has been even more shocking
We can only hope for a full recovery and extend the hand of forgiveness to him Forgiveness is a powerful tool and can hopefully help with his rehabilitation
Moon in scorpio and Jupiter in Capricorn are in the sign of their fall. Moon in scorpio, at a lower vibration, is associated with abuse of power.
Newsreaders should read the headlines, not be part of them. The Beeb were right to suspend Huw (pending investigation) if as reported, there are multiple allegations.
I feel for him. I share his birthday but in a different year and also labour under the darkness of a stellium in Leo capped by Pluto. He has a beautiful voice which is indoubtedly why he has gone as far as he has in his field. But I always had the impression that he was wearing a mask. We never got to see the real Huw. But this is a brutal way for it to be removed. I assume he was hospitalised because of an attempted suicide. I do hope he recovers and can find a way to reconcile himself to the truth, whatever it may be. After Liverpool it is about time that the rest of the UK started to boycott The Sun newspaper!
SuHu the serious mental health issue his wife referenced could mean deep depression. Huw may have checked into a private hospital for treatment.
A tragic story all-around, regardless of the details.
I wonder how his wife and family have dealt/are dealing with the situation? I’m reminded of how Hillary Clinton reached an accommodation with Bill Clinton’s sometimes questionable behavior.
I was most interested in the BBC’s response last night. Its News at 10 pm went all out to emphasise The Sun as the perpetrators. Although, I understood it was approached not doing the approaching. It felt like a deflection in full swing. Edward’s Chart has a strong emphasis in Leo with an Sun/Uranus conjunction. Uranus is a planet that likes to be edgy, go its own way. Scorpio Moon tends to be secretive. The Moon could be a dead conjunction with Neptune or a wide conjunction. It could also be in sextile to Pluto in Virgo, which would make Virgo’s earth and Scorpio’s water a thick mire, with Neptune muddying the water. Scenarios aplenty. Just like everything about this story.
Agreed. The issue for me, aside from the parents and younger people involved, is the dismally repetitive way the BBC handles all their scandals.
Not just their scandals but any news that happens to crop up.
How does Huw compare to The Sun/Murdoch?
Will there be repercussions for their scurrilous reporting?
When I started to read your warning in paragraph 2 I thought you were talking about The Sun & the libel they may face, until I read the rest of it.
Thank you Marjorie. I agree ‘more will crawl out of the woodwork’, and that cloak of imagined Teflon invisibility will melt away, as it appears to be doing for a certain ongoing court case involving a famous Leo actor. The cloak isn’t just for individuals, but entire organisations sometimes seem to think they are wrapped in it.
There’s so much here in the astrology of this story, including the much-discussed upcoming Grand Cardinal Cross or t-square involving master of secrets, Pluto, and the wider public (tr Nodes). This hits Huw’s Jupiter, and triggers his Mercury and that Leo North Node – which suggest public communications and “stardom” perhaps.
At the same time, the 29 Leo Mars Rx and North Node for News Corp, 15 March 1980 is involved. The powerful fixed “Royal” star, Regulus, is there too. It has moved now to 0 Virgo, but natally these charts will have it at 29 Leo. Avoid revenge, and great success is the message of this Leo star. Brady describes it as ‘Always strong and hot in nature’. It’s links with the idea of royalty are interesting, in view of media obsessions and Huw Edwards’ own career. Venus in Leo until the autumn may bring up past connections in general during the retrograde phase.
Also of interest – News Corp’s first incarnation has Sun 24 Pisces, opposing Saturn 23 Virgo, squaring (surprise!) Neptune at 22 Sagittarius. Black Moon Lilith is 27 Virgo. Huw’s SA Saturn is 24 Pisces, the composite BBC/HE Chiron is 24 Pisces. The Sun newspaper itself has Sun 22 Virgo. And so, once more, all those late mutable degrees in our institutions and some national charts crop up again. Tr Mars in Virgo looks as if it has a lot to do this summer.
The astrology for News Corp is interesting, Jane in the light of allegations which emerged yesterday against a well-known employee who also works for GB News, allegations that are far worse than those HE is accused of. If indeed these turn out to be valid, News Corp and The Sun will be in deep do-do. That individual has Neptune at 27 Sagittarius and Pluto 29 Libra.
I shall watch with interest, VF, thank you! We will see if the chart for News Corp 1980 works. The Mars/Neptune opposition in August is around 27 degrees, connecting with BML at 27 Virgo. And ‘the individual’ you mention has their own Neptune at 27 Sagittarius. I am always trying to understand BML in this type of mundane astrology. It is a sensitive point. But what else? Anyway, late Neptune and Pluto appear to be making themselves felt all over the place. Good test for the Edgar chart and 1066 too.
Treating someone elses just about grownup kids as toys. The saying , power corrupts
Transits are all over his chart … obviously transit pluto smack on Jupiter yesterday as it was all revealed. But also saturn opposing his Pluto (7Virgo) and his Chiron which is at 4Pisces. And of course Saturn opposed his Leo planets, went over his Aqua NN last year. Currently Venus retrograde on his Leo planets, mars went over them last week. And transiting Neptune making inconjunct aspects from Pisces – that very much fits with Bernadette Brady’s view that a quincunx transit is like a new actor arriving on stage, totally upsetting the story and taking it to a completely new place. What always surprises me about astrology is how this hasn’t happened on previous transit cycles e.g. when uranus/neptune went through late Capricorn and Aqua.
While it could be seen as hubris to believe you won’t be caught or called out for this sort of stuff in this day and age. There is another way of looking at it – compulsion to do it, a form of addiction – which his Scorpio moon/neptune probably has issues with. He has spoken about depression in recent years.
Hm, not sure I would take addiction as an excuse.
I didn’t realise that Venus will be going retrograde very soon. Thank you for pointing it out (GnarlyDude/LisaV). I was scratching my head in confusion, but can now see it! 🙂
Perhaps – just perhaps – his alleged secret double life, the shame and degradation involved, the duplicity towards his wife and children, and the sheer pressure of living a lie in a high profile job – knowing at any moment he could be exposed and lose everything, and be very publicly disgraced – is the underlying cause of the severe depression he suffered from, prior to these allegations coming to light.
I like to offer a slightly different twist to this story: when was he diagnosed suffering from severe depression, what did his doctors do about it and what is the position from the BBC re duty of care towards their employees, it is possible it is the other way around, an extremely demanding job was getting to him and he was unwilling to admit it. Giving it up or cutting his hours would have an impact on his earnings but he may have retained his common sense and perhaps avoided all the bizarre actions that someone who is suffering from depression and not totally in control re his actions may just commit. I regard him as a professional who has given lots of years of dignified service.
Virginia I’m afraid I don’t buy depression as an excuse for his behaviour. Think of the power imbalance. Other young people at BBC now say they’ve received rather creepy messages from him and felt too intimidated to report it as fearful of their jobs and careers.
He is in the position that most of us are not in that he could or was able to afford expensive private treatment for his mental health if he so chose.
“Bernadette Brady’s view that a quincunx transit is like a new actor arriving on stage..”
I struggle with quincunx transits so that is very helpful, GD. So as well as transit Neptune quincunx HE’s natal Mercury/NN/Uranus in Leo, transit Pluto in Capricorn is also quincunx Mercury/NN/Uranus in Leo, plus transit Venus will complete the focal point of a yod when it transits natal Mercury/NN/Uranus by conjunction in a few days time. That’s pretty heavy going to say the least.
Also, just to say those stressful quincunx transits will have been ongoing at least over the past year or so.
Thanks Marjorie, very interesting. A couple of thoughts:
Huw’s Sun (Leo) stellium in 10th house means that everything gets played out in plain sight. The North Node can be an uncomfortable place, the direction in which we are being pushed but can sometimes resist, and together with Sun-Uranus it signifies someone who is deeply unhappy with himself as a basic state of being, way beyond any normal Leo insecurities. There is a huge amount of tension in this stellium which requires communication (Mercury) for its validation, even though much of it may be deeply unacceptable (Uranus).
It’s an interesting configuration for a newsreader who regularly communicates this kind of stuff about the wider world to a huge audience…. but communicates nothing of himself, his core self, his Leo-ness. In the stellium it is Pluto and Mercury who lead the charge, and the Sun comes last of all. Here is a man who could feel hollowed out in terms of his own self worth.
This stellium is now being brought to bear through SA progression on Libra ascendant… the need to balance and demonstrate balance, where often latent Aries shadows can lurk (getting what you want through persuading others it’s what they want) and also, hidden things are brought to light (12th house to Ascendant).
He’s going through a very very painful time. Venus retrograde across the stellium in the next couple of months will be difficult, forcing review and further discomfort, aplified by other personal planet / luminary transits at this time of year.
No birth time
ah that would change things a bit!! 🙂 but the stellium thing still holds…
On its own the Uranus Sun North Node I cant see the astrological reasoning that indicates someone who is deeply unhappy with himself as a basic state of being.
However on these issues currently in the public eye, the square from Ceres in the eighth and especially Chiron in Pisces in the 5th house of among other things, romantic dalliances and young people opposing pluto conjunct mercury and the node etc , and both moon and neptune in scorpio in the first among much else, would certainly indicate potential for early wounding that would unmoor him on some level.
But in the end its all just speculation, we will never know what motivates him.
More to my concern is the scorpio 5th house links with the beeb, and whats going on in that organisation, repeatedly.
And not just specifically with this issue.
Ha. Just saw Marjories post saying no birthtime, noon charts are so confusing… that invaidates my theory of houses too 😉 I stick with my first comment about the nodes as well lol.
Interesting. Transiting Pluto conjunct his Saturn/Jupiter sounds like roosters coming home to roost. But (if I’ve read this correctly), transiting Venus is currently conjunct his Leo planets/points (Sun, Uranus, North Node & soon his Mercury). May this soften the blow?
In all honesty, I don’t know much about Huw, aside from watching him on the news. But, he has always looked slightly haughty and arrogant whilst reading it (but, that doesn’t mean anything in and of itself).
For the sake of everyone involved, I hope there is nothing to this, as this just means another man in a position of power abusing that position.
Thank you Marjorie.
“At the moment he has tr Pluto conjunct his Jupiter, which on its own can be successful, but clearly Jupiter’s ‘Miracle Grow’ qualities turned his public persona into a hulking green giant”. The 20th April solar eclipse, which also involved Pluto, exactly squared his Jupiter. It has been reported that the Police were first approached in April.
Many thanks for the analysis Marjorie.
Xhane, that’s interesting about the 20th April eclipse & the police being approached. Eclipses hiding ‘things’ may mean, as Marjorie has said… “more will crawl out of the woodwork as time goes on”.