The executive producer behind Channel 5’s new Huw Edwards drama has said that reading the disgraced broadcaster’s “disgusting” texts were like “going into the heart of darkness”.
The one-off drama, titled Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards, dramatises the events leading up to Edwards pleading guilty to making indecent images of children in 2024. Martin Clunes stars as the ex News at 10 host, whose grooming of a 17-year-old is explored in the drama.
In July 2023, it was reported by The Sun that a “top BBC star” had paid a teenager for sexual images, with Edwards’ wife naming him as the presenter in question shortly after. Edwards was never charged with a criminal offence in relation to the victim of the grooming.
The 17-year-old – who remains anonymous – is given the fake name “Ryan Davies” in the drama and is played by Osian Morgan.
Speaking about creating the drama, executive producer Samantha Anstiss revealed that writer Mark Burt based the script on “affidavits and firsthand primary source materials” provided by The Sun – including court reports which detailed Edwards’ psychological reports and text messages.
“I must admit when I first saw them, I felt like I was going into the heart of darkness,” she said on Tuesday (17 March) at the drama’s London screening.
“These text messages were in the most visceral, disturbing way, a very imbalanced relationship of power. In an unflinching way, we had to tell the story behind those messages. They were disturbing.”
Anstiss went on to reference a text featured in one scene in the drama, where Edwards tells Davies: “I love you but you kill me.”
She added: “They were the starting point really for us to go and meet the family and the victim, who is an incredible young man. I was struck by when I met him with his big smile and polite manner, how resilient he has been throughout this.”
Burt added that Edwards’ anonymous victim was involved in every stage of the production, saying: “It was his story and he had access to it at every single point.
“He’s read the scripts. We had all the texts, we had multiple texts. Huge sequences in the drama are verbatim. That was the communication and the rest we built around it.”
In June 2024, Edwards 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.
He was sentenced to six months in prison, which was suspended for two years, in September 2024. He was also added to the sex offenders’ register.
Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards is set to air at 9pm on Tuesday 24 March on Channel 5.
