- Published
Warning: You may find content in this article distressing
An actress and survivor of child sexual abuse has criticised disgraced newsreader Huw Edwards for competing in Wales' largest cultural festival.
uncertain
actress → publish → festival
Sera Cracroft said it would- have been "catastrophic" if he had won.
asserted
he → say → ?
In 2024, Edwards admitted to accessing 41 images of children, including seven of the most serious type.
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Edwards → admit → type
He was given a six-month sentence, suspended for two years, and placed on the sex offenders' register for seven years.
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He → give → years
Edwards said the poem was a tribute to his father, intended to correct a "poisonous narrative", and was not for "sickeningly self-righteous Welsh speakers".
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poem → say → speakers
The National Eisteddfod said "nobody, including the judges, know beforehand who has competed".
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who → say → judges
Those taking part in the Eisteddfod's poetry competition do so under a pseudonym, with entrants' real details kept in a sealed envelope and winners' identities only revealed when announced.
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identities → take → envelope
On Sunday, Edwards published a post on his Substack blog stating he had "attempted to write a poem" for the first time in his life, having "drawn inspiration" from the National Eisteddfod.
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he → publish → Eisteddfod
BBC-produced Newyddion S4C, external has received confirmation that Edwards' poem, written under the pseudonym "Y Gelyn" (The Enemy), had been officially entered.
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poem → produce → pseudonym
Actress Sera Cracroft, best-known for her role in long-running Welsh soap opera Pobol y Cwm, has previously spoken publicly about her experience of child sex abuse.
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Cracroft → know → abuse
"Had he won, the image of him being crowned in front of the nation is hurtful to survivors," she said.
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she → win → survivors
"Huw has said he is receiving mental health support and to be completely honest, I don't think it's working for him.
"
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it → say → him
I'm very, very disappointed that he's done that so soon after being convicted of creating paedophilia online.
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he → do → paedophilia
She added it was "far too soon for him to try and redeem himself".
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him → add → himself
Newyddion S4C understands Edwards' attempt fell far short of winning the competition, with his poem placed in the third grouping of entries - a system used by the judging panel to rank entries.
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poem → understand → entries
His Substack account had previously drawn criticism from child sexual abuse campaigners.
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account → draw → campaigners
In recent posts, he said he felt "abhorrence" towards the offences he committed and admitted to, and stated that his sentence would become spent on 16 September.
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sentence → say → September
In an entry last month titled On Hatred, he also stated he was "not a child rapist" and that his "crime was to click on files sent to me by someone else".
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crime → title → someone
But Cracroft, who says many other survivors have contacted her since she first discussed her own ordeal publicly, believes his crimes were of a serious nature and that he should not have entered the competition.
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he → say → competition
"It's very important for us to realise, as the digital world expands, so does the abuse of children, and Huw was found guilty of accessing paedophilia," she said.
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she → realise → paedophilia
"I think he should have reconciled himself to the fact that he has hurt a lot of people and he maybe needs to research it more.
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he → think → it
When he does something like this it has huge repercussions on their mental and emotional health.
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it → do → health
"Perhaps if he spoke to survivors, it might help him understand the effects these crimes have on victims."
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crimes → speak → victims
She also called on the Eisteddfod to review their entry rules, where poets compete under a pseudonym.
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poets → call → pseudonym
The National Eisteddfod said: "We have a process in place which ensures nobody, including the judges, know beforehand who has competed.
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who → say → judges
"After each Eisteddfod, we have a period of appraisal to ensure our processes are appropriate - this year will be no exception."
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year → have → appraisal
In a statement - shown by Newyddion S4C to Cracroft, who agreed to it being published in full - Edwards said: "The poem was a tribute to my father.
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poem → show → father
There was no way on earth I was going to win the competition and I knew that.
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I → be → that
The poisonous narrative encouraged by the press two years ago needed correcting."
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narrative → encourage → press
Addressing Cracroft's criticisms, he added: "This wasn't a poem for the sickeningly self-righteous Welsh speakers - Sera amongst them - who take advantage of every opportunity to speak unthinkingly on every subject under the sun.
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who → address → sun
"She and her type are far too willing to ignore the damaging effects of mental ill health.
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She → ignore → health
"
If you have been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available at BBC Action Line.
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help → affect → Line
- Published
Warning: You may find content in this article distressing
An actress and survivor of child sexual abuse has criticised disgraced newsreader Huw Edwards for competing in Wales' largest cultural festival.
uncertain
actress → publish → festival
Sera Cracroft said it would- have been "catastrophic" if he had won.
asserted
he → say → ?
In 2024, Edwards admitted to accessing 41 images of children, including seven of the most serious type.
asserted
Edwards → admit → type
He was given a six-month sentence, suspended for two years, and placed on the sex offenders' register for seven years.
asserted
He → give → years
Edwards said the poem was a tribute to his father, intended to correct a "poisonous narrative", and was not for "sickeningly self-righteous Welsh speakers".
asserted
poem → say → speakers
The National Eisteddfod said "nobody, including the judges, know beforehand who has competed".
asserted
who → say → judges
Those taking part in the Eisteddfod's poetry competition do so under a pseudonym, with entrants' real details kept in a sealed envelope and winners' identities only revealed when announced.
asserted
identities → take → envelope
On Sunday, Edwards published a post on his Substack blog stating he had "attempted to write a poem" for the first time in his life, having "drawn inspiration" from the National Eisteddfod.
asserted
he → publish → Eisteddfod
…and 24 more, not listed.
