Ex-BBC editor and father-of-two, 65, died in river fall

A former BBC editor tragically died after falling into a river during his New Year’s Eve walk, an inquest has heard.

Father-of-two Aled Glynne Davies, 65, tumbled into the River Taff after walking alone along the riverbank in the darkness last year.

The ex-BBC chief went for a meal with his wife before heading home but went for a walk before midnight in Pontcanna, Cardiff, and fell into the waters.

More than 400 people joined a search as his family desperately appealed for homeowners to check CCTV for sightings of Mr Davies, who was afraid of water.

But police sadly found his body two miles away days later on January 4.

Father-of-two Aled Glynne Davies, 65, tumbled into the River Taff after walking alone

The former BBC chief had been for a meal with his wife before heading home

When his body was found, his son Gruffudd Glyn wrote on Twitter: ‘Thank you all for your efforts. It is very sad to announce that Dad has been found in the river.

‘Time for us all to try to relax now. Let’s celebrate Dad’s life.’ He signed off the tweet ‘Avryl, Gwenllian and Gruff (and the rest of the family)’.

A pathologist said Mr Davies was alive when he entered the water and his widow Afryl told the inquest Mr Davies did not feel depressed.

He retired as editor of BBC Radio Cymru, the Welsh-language radio service run by the BBC in Cardiff.

The hearing was told he was looking forward to the wedding of his son, Gruff, the last time they spoke at the beginning of December 2022.

His wife said he was very familiar with the park but added that he was a careful person who would not go there for a walk after dark.

It was unusual he went, she said, but he was upbeat on the night in question.

Mr Davies (left) was last seen at his home in Pontcanna in the Welsh capital, after a meal out with his wife Afryl Davies (right). The couple are pictured with their son, Gruff (centre)

She said she thought he had slipped into the river by accident, and would not have gone into the water on purpose.

Mrs Davies said: ‘He had taken his house keys. That proved to me that he intended to come home that night.

‘He was afraid of water and felt the cold terribly,’ she added.

Dr Meleri Morgan, a pathologist at the University Hospital of Wales, told the inquest that Mr Davies was alive when he entered the water.

‘There was not enough alcohol in his body to prevent him from driving. So that would not have had an effect on how he thought and behaved.’

The pathologist referred to ‘dry drowning’ – where the shock of going into the water causes someone to go into cardiac arrest and die suddenly, before the lungs fill with water.

It was likely that that had happened in the case of Mr Davies, she said.

She added that the zip of Mr Davies’ trousers was open when he was found, and that suggested what his family believed, namely that he had slipped into the river while urinating.

Pictured is a view of the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, next to the River Taff

The cause of death was recorded as drowning at the Pontypridd inquest. Coroner Kate Robertson concluded that he fell into the river while urinating.

Mr Davies served as editor of BBC Radio Cymru – the broadcaster’s Welsh language radio service – between 1995 and 2006.

He is credited with successful relaunching the network and spearheading changes at the station that helped appeal to a new, younger audience.

Before serving his role as Radio Cymru editor, Aled was the station’s news editor. He was also as a senior producer of the BBC’s TV news service on S4C.

He led the team that created the broadcaster’s first-ever Welsh language website, BBC Cymru’r Byd.

After leaving the BBC Aled and his wife, a former teacher, established Goriad Cyfyngedig in 2007 which produces television and radio programmes.

The company also facilitates conferences, workshops and courses relevant to the media industry.

Additionally, Aled has acted as a radio and TV juror for Bafta Cymru, the Wales Media Awards and the Celtic Media Festival.