Huw Edwards criticised for entering National Eisteddfod poetry competition

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An actress and survivor of child sexual abuse has criticised disgraced newsreader Huw Edwards for competing in Wales’ largest cultural festival.

Sera Cracroft said it would- have been “catastrophic” if he had won.

In 2024, Edwards admitted to accessing 41 images of children, including seven of the most serious type. He was given a six-month sentence, suspended for two years, and placed on the sex offenders’ register for seven 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”.

The National Eisteddfod said “nobody, including the judges, know beforehand who has competed”.

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.

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.

BBC-produced Newyddion S4C, external has received confirmation that Edwards’ poem, written under the pseudonym “Y Gelyn” (The Enemy), had been officially entered.

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.

She was highly critical of the former newsreader’s latest publication.

“Had he won, the image of him being crowned in front of the nation is hurtful to survivors,” she said.

“Huw has said he is receiving mental health support and to be completely honest, I don’t think it’s working for him.

“I’m very, very disappointed that he’s done that so soon after being convicted of creating paedophilia online.

“Some of the images were in the worst category possible.”

She added it was “far too soon for him to try and redeem himself”.