The BBC is asking Hugh Edwards, the former head of the media company, to return more than 200.000 pounds, which was paid to him based on his earnings after he was arrested in November for abusing photographs of children.
His behavior was "malicious" as he continued to receive his salary, even though he was aware of what he had done, Samir Shah, chairman of the BBC's board of directors, said in a message to staff.
Edwards, once one of the BBC's most famous presenters, was paid five months after being arrested on three counts of making indecent photographs of children.
He was suspended in July last year, and his arrest followed four months later.
He did not resign from the BBC until April this year.
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Shah said Edwards "led a double life": he was a well-respected presenter but "betrayed the trust of colleagues and audiences".
The arrested journalist is the "villain of the story," and "the victims are the children who were harmed," Shah added.
Edwards pleaded guilty in July to all three counts.
He is believed to have committed the crimes between 2020 and 2022 and concerns 37 photos, which were shared via the Vocap application, London police said.
The BBC did not specify whether legal proceedings will be initiated against him if he refuses to return the money paid to him on the basis of salaries.
Tim Davey, the managing director, confirmed in an interview last week that the corporation was aware that the presenter had been arrested in November for the most serious offenses related to indecent photographs of children.
The Board of Directors announced that they "support the decisions made by the general manager and the team during that period".
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If Edwards had been honest when asked by the BBC about the details of his arrest, "we wouldn't have continued to pay him taxpayers' money," they added.
"It is clear that he has undermined trust in the BBC and damaged our reputation," they said.
The statement also states that the Board of Directors "agrees that lessons should be learned from that period, and one of them concerns the BBC's approach to the rules on paying employees who have been suspended".
Although the allegations relate to Edwards' private life, the board "believes these events also raise questions about the balance of power in the workplace."
Between April 2023 and April 2024, Edwards was paid between £475.000 and £479.999, which is £40.000 more than in the same period the previous year.
Lisa Nandy, Britain's culture secretary, said last week that Edwards should return £200.000 to the BBC.
Review of working conditions
The BBC has also announced that it will conduct a new, independent investigation into working conditions.
The review will involve "the effort already being made at the BBC, as well as working with the rest of the industry, as appropriate", they announced.
More information about the investigation, as well as the names of the people who will lead it, will be published at the beginning of September.
The Minister of Culture praised the idea of conducting a review and said that "public trust in the BBC is crucial".
"BBC employees need to feel safe in the workplace and trust that their complaints, which are not related to editorial policy, will be dealt with fairly and decisively."
Nandi added that she had spoken to the chairman of the BBC last week "to convey these views to him in the public interest".
The BBC contacted Hugh Edwards' lawyer for comment but had not heard back by the time the story was published.
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