Martin Clunes has opened up about portraying disgraced former BBC news anchor Huw Edwards in a new Channel 5 drama, admitting that the role required him to absorb the broadcaster's on-screen persona. The 'Wuthering Heights' star said that watching Edwards nightly on television allowed the character to 'seep in' naturally.
The drama, titled 'Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards', explores the scandal that led to Edwards pleading guilty to making indecent images of children. Clunes noted that many people do not know the full story, with misinformation circulating widely. 'There was a lot of fudgery around it,' he said at a London screening.
Clunes worked closely with co-star Osian Morgan, who plays the teenager groomed by Edwards. The pair rehearsed long phone calls depicted in the drama, which Clunes said created 'genuine intimacy'. Morgan described the role as 'one of the proudest things I've ever done in my life'.
Executive producer Sam Anstiss defended the timing of the drama, stating that Edwards's victim felt ready to tell his story. She highlighted urgent themes around online safety and child pornography. The drama airs on Tuesday at 9pm GMT on Channel 5.
