News Beat
Martin Clunes to star as presenter Huw Edwards in new drama
The Doc Martin star will portray the now 64-year-old, who was one of the highest-paid newsreaders at the BBC, in the two-part factual series, which has a working title of Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards.
It is the first collaboration between 5’s factual and scripted commissioning teams and will recount how one of the most recognisable figures in British television was at the centre of one of the biggest scandals at the public broadcaster.
Martin will act as Huw in the new 5 series, which says it will show the presenter’s “double life” and how the scandal unfolded, featuring interviews from those who first reported the story.
What happened to BBC presenter Huw Edwards?
Huw’s downfall came after a report by The Sun in July 2023 alleged that a “top BBC Star” had paid a teenager for sexual pictures.
Days later, his wife named him as the presenter at the centre of the scandal and the newsreader resigned in April.
He was later charged in June 2024, following a Met Police investigation.
A month later, Huw pled guilty to making indecent images of children and admitted to having 41 photographs on WhatsApp, including seven of the most serious type.
He was handed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
Prior to this, Huw was best known for presenting the BBC’s News at Ten for decades, delivering some of the biggest stories to the British Public, including Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
Ben Frow, chief content officer at 5, commented: “This is an important and shocking story of how a man in a position of power and trust betrayed that status.
Recommended reading:
“By gaining exclusive access to the key individuals involved and those who investigated the story, we explore the human cost behind the headlines.
“As a close collaboration between 5’s factual and scripted teams, this is a first for the channel.”
The new series will be directed by Michael Samuels, known for The Windermere Children and Any Human Heart.
