The producer behind Channel 5’s new Huw Edwards drama has insisted that it’s the “right time” for the dramatisation as his victim was “ready to tell his story”.
Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards tells the story of how the ex News at 10 presenter groomed 17-year-old “Ryan” – whose real name was changed for the drama – over several years before pleading guilty to making indecent images of children in 2024. Edwards was given a suspended prison sentence and added to the sex offender’s register.
Martin Clunes stars as the disgraced broadcaster, while Osian Morgan plays Ryan Davies – whose real-life counterpart consulted on scripts for the drama.
With Edwards receiving a six-month suspended prison sentence just 18 months ago, some critics argued when the show was announced in January that it was too soon for a drama about the scandal.
However, executive producer Samantha Anstiss explained why it’s “the right time” for the drama at its London screening on Tuesday (17 March).
“People have talked about the timing of this drama, and I’d say the timing is really right because the victim feels it’s right,” she said.
“He’s ready to tell his story, and there are really urgent themes in this drama around online safety, child pornography, the leniency of the sentencing.”
She added that many were “shocked” by the fact that Edwards received a suspended sentence.
“It’s grappling with some really urgent and important themes, and I thank Channel 5 because they were very brave from the outset.
“They’ve gone on this long journey with us. They have been totally unwavering all the way through.”
Anstiss added that the drama is “proper public service broadcasting at its finest” – and while it proved to be challenging to make at times, she was spurred on by the thought of the child victims featured in the pornography that Edwards had admitted possessing.
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“That held my motivation to tell the story because it has been challenging to tell,” she said. “You do have to get out of bed in the morning and think, ‘Why am I doing this?’ Child pornography is not a victimless crime.”
Edwards’ downfall began when The Sun reported that a “top BBC star” had paid a teenager for sexual images in July 2023. Shortly after, Edwards’ wife named him as the presenter in question – leading to his exit from the BBC.
In June 2024, he was charged by the Metropolitan Police with three counts of making indecent images of children – which includes receiving digital copies. Appearing in court, he admitted to possessing 41 photographs on WhatsApp, seven of which were classified as the most serious type.
Doc Martin’s Clunes spoke about taking on the role earlier this month, revealing that he watched extensive archive footage of the presenter before filming.
“I wanted to find bits where he wasn’t reading the news, because we’ve seen that Huw Edwards,” he told The Times. “One of the archive bits I watched was an outside broadcast. He’s outside Number 10 at night in a coat, and he’s just texting, waiting to go live, which I found chilling in light of what we know.” Clunes was referring to a scene in the drama where Edwards texts Davies before going on air.
Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards is set to air at 9pm on Tuesday 24 March on Channel 5.
