Huw Edwards has revealed how difficult reporting on Queen Elizabeth II’s death last September was for him.
The belove d BBC broadcaster, 61, led coverage of the Queen’s funeral and the days following her death, after making the announcement to the nation on BBC One.
His composure throughout the coverage led to rumours he would be tipped for a knighthood, while the BBC has gained a Bafta TV nomination and a Royal Television Society award for the live event of The State Funeral of HM The Queen Elizabeth II.
Talking about holding it together during the ten days of broadcasting that followed the Queen’s death, Edwards revealed how he coped: ‘I ate a lot of bananas and I drank a lot of tea!
‘It’s funny because you think you’ve prepared yourself for The Queen passing away, but the reality of it was quite overwhelming.’
He continued to Good Housekeeping: ‘I kept saying to myself, “Is this really happening?” When it was all over, I went home and I sat in the garden on my own with a cup of tea and a Welsh cake.
‘I needed that time to digest it all and decompress – then I was ready to talk to people again.’
Edwards also spoke about preparing for the next royal event – King Charles III Coronation, admitting that he’s ‘terrified of making a mistake’.
He said: ‘In a way, I’ve been preparing for years… I’m excited about it, but honestly, I’m a bit nervous, too.
‘There’s a huge responsibility to get it right and I’m always terrified of making a mistake.
‘When I was presenting my first Trooping the Colour in 2003, I mixed up Sandhurst and Sandringham and my military friends couldn’t believe I’d made such an elementary error, but I was nervous and I slipped!’
The comments come after he recalled the ‘surreal’ moment he announced the Queen’s death.
Speaking to Metro.co.uk exclusively at the Royal Television Society Awards, Edwards recalled giving the live broadcast, and announcing the sad news to the nation.
He said: ‘It was a little surreal. I do remember clearly being in the studio with my colleague Nicholas Witchell.
‘We were in the studio for five hours before the announcement came.
First appear at Huw Edwards found reality of Queen’s death ‘overwhelming’ as he reveals how he ‘held it together’ reporting on death
