Huw Edwards, one of the BBC's most high-profile hosts who was suspended last year over allegations he paid for explicit images, resigned from the broadcaster on Monday.
Mr Edwards, 62, led the BBC's coverage of major national events, including the death and funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. He started as a trainee in 1984 and by the end of his career was the regular presenter of “BBC News at Ten”.
He was suspended by the BBC in July after tabloid The Sun reported that an unnamed host at the station had paid a teenager $45,000 for sexually explicit images, starting when the person was 17. Mr. Edwards' wife later publicly identified her husband as the host. in the report.
The age of consent in Britain is 16, but sharing or possessing indecent images of anyone under 18 is a crime.
Last year police found there was “no information to suggest a crime had been committed” and said they would take no further action.
A lawyer for the person said to have sent the images to Mr Edwards told the BBC that “nothing inappropriate or illegal took place” and said the allegations were “rubbish”.
“Huw Edwards today resigned and left the BBC,” the broadcaster said in a statement attributed to a spokesperson on Monday. “After 40 years of service, Huw explained that his decision was made based on the medical advice of his doctors. The BBC accepted his resignation, which he believes will allow all parties to move forward. We do not believe it is appropriate to comment further.”
The statement does not address the allegations against Mr. Edwards.
At the time of the allegations, Mr Edwards' wife, Vicky Flind, said her husband had been hospitalized with “serious mental health problems”.
The BBC has been criticized for failing to act for seven weeks after receiving a complaint from the teenager's mother. In February, the BBC apologized to the teenager's parents, saying she had not acted quickly enough.
The revelations sparked a media frenzy in Britain, even at the BBC itself.