Anger as disgraced Edwards enters poetry competition

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards, recently given a suspended sentence for child indecency offenses, submitted a poem under a pseudonym to the National Eisteddfod of Wales poetry contest, sparking backlash from survivors of abuse and public figures. The incident has raised questions about the use of anonymity in competitions and prompted calls for the organizers to reconsider their rules to prevent similar controversies.

Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has faced criticism after submitting a poem to a Welsh poetry competition under a pseudonym. Edwards, who was given a six-month suspended sentence in September 2024 for accessing indecent images involving children as young as seven, entered the National Eisteddfod of Wales poetry contest using the name “Y Gelyn,” meaning “The Enemy.”

The National Eisteddfod requires entrants to submit work anonymously, with identities only revealed upon the announcement of winners. This year’s prize was awarded to Martin Huws, a former BBC journalist, who won £750 for a poem addressing the subject of abuse.

Sera Cracroft, an actor known for her role in the Welsh language television series Pobol y Cwm and a survivor of childhood sexual assault, expressed strong opposition to Edwards’s participation. She described the possibility of Edwards winning as “catastrophic,” stating that the image of him being honoured publicly would be “hurtful to survivors.” Cracroft further called on the competition’s organizers to reconsider the use of pseudonyms in future contests to prevent similar situations.

In a post on Substack, Edwards wrote that his poem, submitted under the theme of adnabod, a Welsh word meaning “knowing,” was a tribute to his late father. He criticized his detractors, including Cracroft, characterizing them as “sickeningly self-righteous Welsh speakers” and accused them of speaking thoughtlessly on various topics while disregarding mental health issues.

The National Eisteddfod of Wales acknowledged that the competition’s anonymity rules prevent judges from knowing participants’ identities prior to selecting winners. The organization stated that it conducts an annual review of its processes to ensure they remain appropriate and that this year would be no exception.

Requests for further comment from the National Eisteddfod were not immediately returned. The debate continues over the balance between anonymity in creative competitions and the sensitivities surrounding participants’ backgrounds in light of Edwards’s recent conviction.

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