The disgraced former BBC newsreader has hit out at Channel 5 for failing to “check" the truth with him before running the programme about his demise.
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Huw Edwards has broken his silence on a new programme depicting his downfall.
The disgraced former BBC newsreader has hit out at Channel 5 for failing to “check" the truth with him before running the programme about his demise.
Edwards was stripped of his £480,000 salary with the BBC after it emerged he allegedly paid a teenager £35,000 for sexual images.
Power: The Downfall Of Huw Edwards, a two-part show starring Martin Clunes, is a dramatisation of that story and what happened in its aftermath.
In a statement shared by the Daily Mail, Edwards said: “[They] made no attempt to check with me the truth of any aspect of their narrative before going ahead with the production.
“They belatedly asked for a response after the drama had been made, while reserving the right to edit any such response. They also refused to disclose whether any of those making allegations had been paid for their contributions.”
He added that Channel 5’s factual drama “is hardly likely to convey the reality of what happened.”
“It is difficult to see how this approach can be considered remotely responsible or fair, or be in compliance with key sections of the Ofcom code on broadcast standards,” Edwards said.
However, the disgraced former broadcaster expressed his “deep regret and remorse for the crimes” he committed in a fresh statement.
Edwards was suspended in July 2023 before being arrested four months later. He did not resign from the BBC until April 2024.
He was never charged with a criminal offence in relation to the victim of the grooming but was handed a six-month suspended sentence after pleading guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children as young as eight.
”In pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity, I took full responsibility for my reprehensible actions.“I am repelled by the idea that some people enjoy viewing indecent images of children. Every image represents an innocent victim. I offer my sincere and profound apologies for what I did,” Edwards said.
He added that he wants to release his “own account of these terrible events”, but said this has been “a slow process” due the fragility of his mental state.
Edwards said that while mental illness “can never be an excuse for criminality”, he thinks “it can at least help explain why people sometimes behave in shocking and reprehensible ways, and why things fell apart for me in the way they did”.
Writer Mark Burt said he spoke to Edwards’ anonymous victim as part of research for the show, saying he was involved in each stage of the production process.
The script was based on “affidavits and firsthand primary source materials” provided by The Sun, which first broke the story about Edwards’ alleged relationship with the teenager.
Material provided included court documents revealing details of Edwards’ psychological reports and text messages.In the show, the anonymous 17-year-old is given the fake name “Ryan Davies” and is played by former Emmerdale actor Osian Morgan.
Edwards was suspended by the BBC in July 2023 before being arrested four months later. However, Edwards did not resign from the BBC until April of 2024.
Channel 5 said in a statement: “Power: The Downfall Of Huw Edwards is based on extensive interviews with the victim, his family, the journalists who revealed his story, text exchanges between the victim and Edwards, and court reporting. It has been produced in accordance with Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code.
“All allegations made in the film were put to Huw Edwards via his solicitors six weeks before transmission.” Power: The Downfall Of Huw Edwards airs at 9pm on Tuesday.
During his four decades at the BBC, Edwards was among the broadcasting teams leading coverage of historic events including the late Queen's funeral in 2022 and most recently the coronation of the King in May 2023.
Edwards also announced the late Queen's death on the BBC in September 2022.