‘Not responsible or fair’: Ex-presenter Huw Edwards slams Channel 5 drama about his downfall

Shamed former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has hit out at a new Channel 5 drama depicting his fall from grace, branding it “unfair” ahead of its broadcast.

The 64-year-old, who pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children, criticised the production company behind the two-part programme Power: The Downfall Of Huw Edwards, which airs tonight at 9pm. Actor Martin Clunes portrays Edwards in the drama.

Once one of the BBC’s highest-paid and most trusted newsreaders, Edwards fronted major national moments, including coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, before his career unravelled.

Metropolitan Police

His downfall began in July 2023, when The Sun alleged a “top BBC star” had paid a teenager for sexual images. Within days, his wife publicly identified him as the presenter at the centre of the scandal. Following a Metropolitan Police investigation, Edwards was charged in June 2024.

A month later, he pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children, admitting to possessing 41 photographs on WhatsApp, including seven in the most serious category.

Now, speaking out for the first time since receiving a suspended prison sentence, Edwards has condemned the upcoming drama and the way it portrays events.

In a statement to the Daily Mail, he said of programme makers: “[They] made no attempt to check with me the truth of any aspect of their narrative before going ahead with the production.

“They belatedly asked for a response after the drama had been made, while reserving the right to edit any such response. They also refused to disclose whether any of those making allegations had been paid for their contributions. Channel 5’s ‘factual drama’ is hardly likely to convey the reality of what happened.”

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Edwards also revealed he is working on his own account of events, though said the process has been slow due to his health.

“I am making an effort to produce my own account of these terrible events. This is a slow process given the fragile state of my health. I have been open about my struggle with persistent mental illness over a period of 25 years.

“What is less well known is the severity of that condition, which was managed successfully until the downward spiral which led to an appalling outcome. Mental illness is misunderstood by many but can never be an excuse for criminality.

“It can, however, at least help explain why people sometimes behave in shocking and reprehensible ways, and why things fell apart for me in the way they did.”

Channel 5

A Channel 5 spokesperson defended the programme, saying: “Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards is based on extensive interviews with the victim, his family, the journalists who revealed his story, text exchanges between the victim and Edwards, and court reporting.

It has been produced in accordance with Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code. All allegations made in the film were put to Huw Edwards via his solicitors six weeks before transmission.”

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Featured image credit: Metropolitan Police, Channel 5