The Downfall of Huw Edwards

5 has commissioned Wonderhood Studios to produce Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards (w/t), a major, two-part factual drama exploring the story of how a vulnerable 17-year-old was groomed by one of the most powerful figures in television – Huw Edwards. A year in the making, the project is the first collaboration between 5’s factual and scripted commissioning teams.

Starring Martin Clunes (Doc Martin, Out There, Manhunt) as Edwards, the series explores the newsreader’s double life as it spirals out of control, leading him to make the greatest announcement of his career – his total exit from public life following his conviction for serious child sexual offences.

In September 2022, Huw Edwards was one of Britain’s most-trusted newsreaders, chosen to deliver the most important news to the British public. To an audience of millions across the country, he made the historic declaration that Queen Elizabeth II had died.

But Edwards had a secret. Online, he was repeatedly soliciting explicit sexual photos from young men, and in particular grooming a vulnerable 17-year-old. He had also struck up a separate online friendship with a man who, from December 2020 to August 2021, repeatedly sent him messages containing child abuse imagery which he accessed, including so called ‘Category A’ images – the most extreme.

In July 2023, Edward’s secrets started to unravel rapidly after a national newspaper reported that “a top BBC star” had paid a “teenager for sexual pictures”.

Separately, the police started to investigate Edwards’ online activity, leading him to plead guilty to making indecent images of children at Westminster Magistrates Court.

Building on extensive factual research over the past 12 months, including extensive first hand interviews and co-operation from those at the heart of the scandal and exclusive access to The Sun newspaper’s award-winning investigation into Edwards, this unflinching drama paints a complex, emotional and  nuanced portrait,  revealing how the grooming of a vulnerable 17-year old over many months led to Edwards’ downfall, disgrace and the end of his life in the public eye.

Ben Frow, Chief Content Officer, 5 said: “This is an important and shocking story – of how a man in a position of power and trust betrayed that status.  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.”

David Abraham, Founder and Group CEO, Wonderhood Studios said “This 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.”

Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards (w/t) is a Wonderhood Studios production commissioned by Guy Davies (Consultant Editor for Commissioning, 5) and Paul Testar (Commissioning Editor, Scripted, 5) and co-produced with programme financiers Krempelwood. The series is directed by BAFTA and EMMY winning 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.