The 62-year-old, who arrived at Westminster Magistrates' Court wearing a dark blue suit and dark sunglasses, allegedly committed three offences between December 2020 and April 2022.

He is accused of having had 37 photographs on WhatsApp, including six of the most serious type, between December 2020 and April 2022.

The Metropolitan Police said he was arrested in November last year and charged on 26 June.

Edwards is accused of having six category A images, 12 category B pictures and 19 category C photographs on WhatsApp, according to the charge sheet.

According to the CPS, the term "making" can include opening, accessing, downloading and storing the content, or receiving an image via social media, even if unsolicited and even if part of a group.

Category A images are the most serious and include penetrative sexual activity, sexual activity with an animal or sadism, while category B images involve non-penetrative sexual activity.

Category C means the images do not fall into categories A or B and do not depict any  sexual activity.

The images are alleged to have been shared via WhatsApp.

If found guilty, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Edwards was one of the BBC's highest-profile and highest-paid presenters before he resigned in April.

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He previously fronted the BBC's News At Ten for 20 years and anchored coverage of major national events, including announcing the death of Queen Elizabeth II's death and covering her funeral.

Edwards was previously the BBC's highest-paid newsreader, with a pay bracket between £475,000 and £479,999 for the year 2023/24 for 160 presenting days, BBC One news specials, election specials and other TV programming, according to the corporation's latest annual report.