After a year marred by high-profile scandals, the BBC hoped for a quieter period. However, rival broadcaster Channel 5 has disrupted those plans with the announcement of a hard-hitting factual drama about the corporation's disgraced former newsreader, Huw Edwards.
The Drama: Power and Downfall
The two-part series, titled 'Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards', will star actor Martin Clunes in the lead role. The 64-year-old 'Doc Martin' star will portray the Welsh anchorman, whose double life was exposed in 2023.
The drama will focus on how Edwards, a respected BBC stalwart earning £475,000 a year, secretly groomed a vulnerable 17-year-old boy while maintaining his public persona. Filming has concluded, and the project is now in post-production, with a likely broadcast scheduled for Spring.
Timing Adds to BBC's Woes
The announcement comes at a sensitive time for the BBC. The corporation recently saw the departure of both its director general, Tim Davie, and its news chief, Deborah Turness, following a separate scandal involving doctored 'Panorama' footage of Donald Trump.
A BBC insider described the timing as the 'worst possible', stating the last thing the organisation needs is a reminder of 'the darkest chapter in our history'. The source also noted it is a blow for interim news head Jonathan Munro, who was reportedly a 'great friend' of Edwards and has recused himself from editorial decisions on the matter.
Channel 5 executives reportedly informed the BBC about the drama before the public announcement. The production claims to be based on extensive research and first-hand interviews with those at the heart of the scandal.
Legal Fallout and Broader Context
Huw Edwards was suspended by the BBC in July 2023. He was later convicted of making indecent images of children and received a six-month suspended sentence in September 2024. The BBC has apologised for not escalating the initial grooming complaint quickly enough.
The drama will not feature BBC executives on screen. Instead, it will concentrate on the grooming and Edwards's online relationship with a paedophile who shared abusive material.
This development coincides with other significant challenges for the broadcaster, including a $10 billion lawsuit from Donald Trump and the impending government whitepaper on the future of the licence fee, due in Spring.
Ben Frow, Channel 5's Chief Content Officer, called it 'an important and shocking story', while Wonderhood Studios described it as a drama aiming to uncover 'profound psychological truths'. For the BBC, it represents another unwelcome spotlight on a year it would prefer to forget.
