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Huw Edwards was one of the BBC\u2019s highest-paid newsreaders (Aaron Chown\/PA)<\/p>\nFormer BBC broadcaster Huw Edwards has said the upcoming Channel 5 drama about his downfall is \u201chardly likely to convey the reality of what happened\u201d.<\/p>\n
Doc Martin actor Martin Clunes stars in the two-part drama, Power: The Downfall Of Huw Edwards, which starts on Tuesday and recounts the events that led to the disgraced presenter pleading guilty to making indecent images of children in July 2024.<\/p>\n
The former presenter was handed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.<\/p>\n
Edwards claimed the production company, Wonderhood Studios, failed to check the \u201ctruth\u201d of the narratives shown in the series relating to allegations made by The Sun in July 2023, which claimed that a \u201ctop BBC star\u201d paid a teenager more than \u00a335,000 for sexual pictures.<\/p>\n
Huw Edwards was one of the BBC\u2019s highest-paid newsreaders (Aaron Chown\/PA)<\/p>\n
In a statement, he said: \u201cWonderhood Studios made no attempt to check with me the truth of any aspect of their narrative before going ahead with the production.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey belatedly asked for a response after the drama had been made, while reserving the right to edit any such response.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey also refused to disclose whether any of those making allegations had been paid for their contributions.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cChannel 5\u2019s \u2018factual drama\u2019 is hardly likely to convey the reality of what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
In his statement, Edwards added that he felt \u201cdeep regret and remorse\u201d for his crimes and said his behaviour was \u201creckless, shameful, and damaging\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said he was \u201cmaking an effort to produce my own account of these terrible events\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a slow process given the fragile state of my health.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have been open about my struggle with persistent mental illness over a period of 25 years,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cMental illness is misunderstood by many but can never be an excuse for criminality.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt can, however, 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Edwards was one of the BBC\u2019s highest-paid newsreaders, known for presenting the BBC\u2019s News At Ten for decades and delivering some of the biggest stories to the British public including Queen Elizabeth II\u2019s death.<\/p>\n
He pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children and admitted to having 41 photographs on WhatsApp, including seven of the most serious type.<\/p>\n
A Channel 5 spokesperson told The Guardian: \u201cPower: 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.<\/p>\n
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