Actress Sera Cracroft has criticised former newsreader Huw Edwards for entering a poetry competition at the National Eisteddfod following his conviction for accessing indecent images of children.
Key facts
- •In 2024, Huw Edwards received a six-month suspended sentence for accessing 41 images of children, including seven of the most serious category.
- •Edwards entered the National Eisteddfod poetry competition under the pseudonym "Y Gelyn."
- •The National Eisteddfod confirmed its judging process ensures the identity of entrants remains anonymous until after the competition.
- •Sera Cracroft, an actress and survivor of child sexual abuse, publicly criticized Edwards' participation as "far too soon" for redemption.
- •Edwards stated on his Substack that his sentence is set to become spent on 16 September.
Former newsreader Huw Edwards has faced criticism after it was revealed he entered a poetry competition at the National Eisteddfod, Wales' largest cultural festival. Actress and abuse survivor Sera Cracroft condemned the move, stating that a potential win for Edwards would have been "catastrophic" and hurtful to survivors. Edwards, who was convicted in 2024 for accessing indecent images of children, entered the competition under the pseudonym "Y Gelyn," meaning "The Enemy."
Competition Entry and Judging Process
The National Eisteddfod maintains a blind judging process where participants use pseudonyms and real identities are kept in sealed envelopes until winners are announced. Festival officials stated that no one, including the judges, knows the identity of competitors beforehand. According to Newyddion S4C, Edwards' poem did not win, placing instead in the third grouping of entries used by the panel to rank submissions.
Criticism from Survivors
Sera Cracroft, known for her role in the soap opera Pobol y Cwm, publicly criticized Edwards for attempting to participate in the festival so soon after his conviction. She argued that his actions have repercussions for the mental and emotional health of survivors and suggested he should focus on reconciling with the harm he caused. Cracroft also called on the Eisteddfod to review its entry rules regarding the use of pseudonyms.
Edwards' Response
In a statement, Edwards described his poem as a tribute to his father intended to correct a "poisonous narrative." He claimed he knew he would not win the competition and criticized those who spoke out against his participation, labeling them "sickeningly self-righteous." Edwards has previously used his Substack blog to discuss his conviction, stating he felt "abhorrence" toward his offenses while also asserting he was "not a child rapist" and that his sentence would become spent on 16 September.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by BBC Entertainment & Arts.
