Matthew Rhys to play Sir Harry Evans in new BBC drama

The actor is to play Sir Harry Evans, who was editor of the Echo from 1961-1965 before going on to edit The Sunday Times, in the six-part series Dragon Slayers.

The show will explore the work of Sir Harry, whose investigative Insight team at the Times broke some of the biggest stories in UK history, including the thalidomide scandal; the truth about Kim Philby, one of the most successful spies of the 20th century; and the facts about the DC-10 crash in 1974, then the worst air disaster of all time.

Rhys said: “At a time when stories of this nature are imperative, I am thrilled to be a part of this show.”

Set in the 1970s, the series will be based on wide-ranging research, published accounts and interviews with those who knew and worked with Sir Harry – including his widow, former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown, and the Evans family.

Matthew Rhys is to play Sir Harry Evans in a new BBC drama (Image: Apple TV+/Robert Clark. All Rights Reserved. All Rights Reserved)

Brown said: “I could not be more thrilled that such a talented and creative team has come together to bring to the screen some of Harry’s most inspiring journalistic achievements at the Sunday Times, and that the brilliant and versatile Matthew Rhys will be playing him.”

The series will be written by Bafta-winner Peter Bowker, who added: “Telling the story of Harry Evans and the work of his Insight team is both a privilege and a joy.

“And having Matthew leading the cast is more than we could have hoped for.

“All of us are now united by a desire to honour the passion, doggedness and humour of this remarkable group of people.

“I hope the drama will make us take a fresh look at both journalism and that much maligned decade – the 1970s.”

One of the giants of post-war journalism, Sir Harry was editor of The Sunday Times from 1967 to 1981, and edited The Times for a year from 1981.

During his time at the Echo, Sir Harry was most proud of his campaign to get the cervical smear test introduced free on the NHS.

Often cited as the greatest British newspaper editor of all time, Sir Harry is credited with leading the investigation which resulted in victims of the morning sickness drug thalidomide winning £20 million in compensation in 1973.

His Insight team also exposed the intelligence service cover-up in the case of double agent Philby; and the corporate deception at the heart of the DC-10 Paris air crash, which killed all 346 people on board.

He died aged 92 in 2020.