A new television series will tell the story of one of the biggest scandals in recent British media. Martin Clunes will play the role of former BBC News at Ten presenter Huw Edwards in a two-part factual drama called Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards. The network 5 ordered the show, which is its first project combining factual research with scripted drama. The series is set to show how a trusted news anchor led a secret life that ended in a criminal conviction and a complete exit from public life.
What The New Drama About Huw Edwards Will Show
The series has a working title of Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards. It plans to show the story of how a 17-year-old was groomed by Edwards, who was one of the most well-known faces on British television. The network says the drama will follow Edwards’s double life as it fell apart, leading to his final exit from public life following his conviction.
To create the show, the production team did over a year of research. They spoke directly to people involved in the real events and got special access to The Sun newspaper’s investigation that first reported the story. The show’s makers say this access will let them show the human cost of the scandal that was behind the news headlines. The series is a production by Wonderhood Studios, and it is the first drama project for this company.
Huw Edwards’s Career And Downfall
Huw Edwards was a major figure in British broadcasting for many years. He started his career in Wales before becoming one of the BBC’s highest-paid newsreaders. He presented the BBC News at Ten for about two decades and was chosen to lead coverage of major national events. This included announcing the death of Queen Elizabeth II to the nation in 2022.
His professional downfall began in July 2023. A report by The Sun newspaper claimed a “top BBC Star” had paid a teenager for sexual pictures. A few days later, Edwards’s wife named him as the presenter involved in the scandal. Edwards resigned from the BBC in April 2024.
A police investigation followed. In July 2024, Edwards pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent images of children. The charges related to 41 photographs he received via WhatsApp from a man named Alex Williams. In September 2024, a judge gave Edwards a six-month prison sentence, which was suspended for two years. He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for seven years.
Martin Clunes Takes On The Challenging Lead Role
The role of Huw Edwards will be played by actor Martin Clunes. Clunes is widely known for his long-running role as the lead in the popular ITV series Doc Martin. He has also played real-life figures before, such as detective Colin Sutton in the crime drama Manhunt. First-look images from the drama show a significant physical transformation, with Clunes appearing nearly unrecognisable as Edwards.
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Clunes is directed by Michael Samuels, who has won BAFTA and EMMY awards for work on dramas like The Windermere Children. The script is written by Mark Burt, known for writing the series The Trial. The producer is Angie Daniell, whose past work includes Vigil and A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story.
Ben Frow, the chief content officer for the network 5, spoke about the decision to make the series.
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.
Release Information And How To Watch
As of January 2026, the network 5 has not announced an official release date for the two-part drama. The series is confirmed to air on 5, the UK television channel formerly known as Channel 5. The channel is owned by Paramount. This will be the first major television dramatization of the Huw Edwards scandal.
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