[2] On 4 February 2019, Pope Francis appointed Byrne the next Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, in succession to Séamus Cunningham.

[7][8] On 12 December 2022, Pope Francis accepted his resignation from his bishopric, nine years before the normal retirement age of 75, as mandated by Catholic canon law.

[13] As part of the investigation into the resignation of Byrne, the Church was looking into claims one of his priests invited worshippers to a party in his quarters attached to the cathedral during lockdown.

The priest, Michael McCoy, dean of the cathedral, killed himself four days after finding out he was being investigated by police for child sexual abuse.

In a letter seen by The Sunday Times Malcolm McMahon, archbishop of Liverpool, who is leading the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Byrne's resignation, said he has been asked by the pope’s advisers to prepare "an in-depth report into the events leading up to Bishop Byrne’s resignation".