Loose Women Star Explodes: ‘Don’t Care!’ After Co-Host Calls Huw Edwards ‘Vulnerable’
Tensions flared on ITV’s Loose Women as Coleen Nolan expressed her outrage after disgraced newsreader Huw Edwards was referred to as “vulnerable” by a co-star. Edwards, 63, a former BBC presenter, was recently sentenced to a six-month suspended prison term for accessing indecent images of children. The sentence has sparked significant public outrage, with many feeling it was far too lenient.
Edwards, once the face of News At Ten, was sentenced at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, September 16. During the hearing, it was revealed that Edwards had spent up to £1,500 on 41 indecent images of children. He admitted to three counts of “making” indecent images, resulting in a suspended sentence.
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring also ordered Edwards to register as a sex offender for seven years and attend a sex offender treatment program. The sentence ignited a firestorm of criticism, including from the panel of Loose Women. Coleen Nolan was visibly shocked and vocal about her dismay, reports the Mirror.
“I was so shocked when it all came out, then the sentence that he got yesterday was just, I was absolutely speechless about it. I thought, well if they can’t use someone, and it was such a high profile case, I thought this is the perfect time now to make an example of this will not be tolerated at all. What message is that putting out to any child abuser or pedophile? It’s absolutely shocking.”
Co-panellist Janet Street-Porter chimed in, addressing Edwards’ mental health struggles. While she agreed with Coleen’s points, Janet questioned whether harsher punishment would be beneficial. “At the same time, it’s this idea of making an example of someone. What we’ve seen in the last few weeks is the government quickly changed the law so that the rioters, the people who went mad on our streets in August, were quickly dealt with.
Some of them received custodial sentences for what previously would’ve been a slap on the wrist, a big fine, or public service… I’m thinking at the end of the day, what would be gained by putting Huw Edwards in jail?” Host Ruth Langsford interrupted, stating that justice for the victims was essential. Janet acknowledged this, but reiterated, “Justice for the victims, but he would be very vulnerable.”
This comment visibly angered Nolan, who fired back, “Don’t care! Don’t care, good.” Fellow panelist Brenda Edwards echoed her frustration, adding, “Sorry, but I can’t. The word vulnerable – there are vulnerable children, seven years old being taken advantage of, he’s an adult who a lot of people trusted.” The discussion underscored the emotional divide over the handling of Edwards’ case, with strong feelings on both sides of the argument.