Disgraced former BBC newsreader Huw Edwards has criticised a new Channel 5 drama about his downfall, accusing the production company of not checking the facts with him. The two-part programme, titled Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards, stars Martin Clunes as the 64-year-old and airs at 9pm on Tuesday.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, Edwards said: '[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.'
Edwards pleaded guilty in July 2024 to making indecent images of children, including seven of the most serious type. He said he plans to produce his own account of events, writing: '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.'
The former News at Ten host, who announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II, added: '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.'
A BBC insider responded: 'Huw hid behind his mental health for quite some time. He got very good care yet is still talking about it.' Edwards was charged in June 2024 following a Metropolitan Police investigation and admitted to having 41 photographs on WhatsApp.
