BBC presenter Huw Edwards has been named by his wife as the person allegedly involved in a sex scandal.
Vicky Flind added that her husband had been admitted to hospital for “serious mental health issues”.
She said he would answer the allegations made against him when he was “well enough” to do so.
Ms Flind said Edwards’ BBC bosses only told him a complaint had been made six days ago – seven weeks after it had first reported to the broadcaster.
Naming her husband came just 12 minutes after the Metropolitan Police announced that there was “no information to indicate that a criminal offence has been committed”.
Edwards, a father of five, was suspended by the corporation at the weekend.
The sixty-one-year-old presenter earns a BBC salary of £435,000 a year.
In her statement Ms Flind, a television journalist, said:
“In light of the recent reporting regarding the ‘BBC presenter’ I am making this statement on behalf of my husband Huw Edwards, after what have been five extremely difficult days for our family.
“I am doing this primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children.
“Huw is suffering from serious mental health issues.
“As is well documented, he has been treated for severe depression in recent years.
“The events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters, he has suffered another serious episode and is now receiving in-patient hospital care where he’ll stay for the foreseeable future.
“Once well enough to do so, he intends to respond to the stories that have been published.”
She added: “To be clear Huw was first told that there were allegations being made against him last Thursday.
“In the circumstances and given Huw’s condition I would like to ask that the privacy of my family and everyone else caught up in these upsetting events is respected.
“I know that Huw is deeply sorry that so many colleagues have been impacted by the recent media speculation.
“We hope this statement will bring that to an end.”
