Martin Clunes Playing Huw Edwards In Channel 5 Drama Series About Disgraced Ex-BBC News Anchor

Martin Clunes and Paramount’s Channel 5 (now 5) are teaming up on a drama series about disgraced ex-BBC News anchor Huw Edwards.

Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards [working title] will explore the story of how a vulnerable 17-year-old was groomed by one of the most powerful figures in television, who was one of the UK’s most successful and well paid anchors and the person who delivered the news about the death of Queen Elizabeth II to the nation.

Power will explore Edwards’ double life as things spiral out of control. After he was eventually revealed to be the unnamed BBC star who was paying a teenager for sexual pictures, he subsequently left the BBC and pled guilty to making indecent images of children, which led to a suspended prison sentence and his total exit from public life.

The British press followed the story with keen interest and the scandal was a stain on the BBC, which is still trying to recoup the money Edwards was paid between his arrest and his BBC exit. It came at a similar time to a number of other scandals relating to top BBC talent and misconduct claims, while leading to two reviews into the corporation’s processes.

Power is the first collaboration between 5’s factual and scripted commissioning teams and the first drama to come from Wonderhood Studios, the indie run by former Channel 4 boss David Abraham.

“This is an important and shocking story – of how a man in a position of power and trust betrayed that status,” said 5 content boss Ben Frow. “By gaining exclusive access to the key individuals involved and those who investigated the story, we explore the human cost behind the headlines.”

Abraham said the project “marks Wonderhood’s first step into drama and builds on our record in producing premium documentaries about challenging subjects that matter.” “Drama is also a medium with the power to uncover profound psychological truths, and we are incredibly grateful to our brave contributors in trusting us with their story,” he added.

Clunes, the man chosen to portray Edwards, is best known for leading ITV’s Doc Martin for nearly 20 years. That show has just been remade in the U.S. for Fox titled Best Medicine, which stars Clunes as Dr. Robert Best. It appears that Clunes and Edwards’ paths have crossed before. A Guardian diary entry from 2006 reported that they starred in a show at a Buckingham Palace garden party celebrating the 80th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II.

Power is by no means the first project about a BBC star. The BBC itself made a drama series about Jimmy Savile starring Steve Coogan. In 2024, both Netflix and Amazon aired projects about the infamous Prince Andrew Newsnight interview starring Gillian Anderson and Ruth Wilson respectively as Edwards’ former colleague Emily Maitlis.

Power is commissioned by Guy Davies and Paul Testar, and co-produced with programme financiers Krempelwood. The series is directed by Bafta and Emmy-winner Michael Samuels (The Windermere Children, Any Human Heart) and written by Mark Burt (The Trial). The producer is Angie Daniell (A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, Vigil), the casting director is Jenny Duffy, the factual producer is Louise Kentleton and director of production is Lianne Hickey. The executive producers are Bafta-winner Samantha Anstiss and Tom Garton.