The Channel 5 collection will recount how Edwards discovered himself on the centre of the intercourse offender scandal for possessing indecent photos of youngsters

Doc Martin actor Martin Clunes is ready to play disgraced BBC host Huw Edwards in a brand new controversial Channel 5 drama. The 2-part collection primarily based on true occasions, which has a working title of Energy: The Downfall of Huw Edwards, is the primary collaboration between 5’s factual and scripted commissioning groups.

The present will recount how one of the crucial well-known figures in British tv was on the centre of one of the crucial explosive scandals on the public broadcaster. The channel mentioned it had ordered the programme to painting “how a weak 17-year-old was groomed by one of the crucial highly effective figures in tv”.

Bridgend-born Edwards, whose profession began in Wales, was one of many Beeb’s highest-paid newsreaders, having introduced the BBC’s Information at Ten for many years. The 64-year-old delivered a few of the greatest tales to the British Public together with the loss of life of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 earlier than pleading responsible to creating indecent photos of youngsters in July 2024.

He first joined the company in 1984 and commenced anchoring the Ten O’Clock Information in 2003. Clunes will play the shamed newsreader within the Channel 5 collection, which states it can recount the presenter’s “double life” and the way the scandal first unfolded in addition to that includes interviews from those that first reported the story.

The channel mentioned the manufacturing had been a yr within the making however has not revealed a broadcast date.

Ben Frow, chief content material officer at 5, mentioned: “This is a crucial and stunning story of how a person ready of energy and belief betrayed that standing.

“By gaining unique entry to the important thing people concerned and those that investigated the story, we discover the human value behind the headlines.

“As a detailed collaboration between 5’s factual and scripted groups, it is a first for the channel.”

Edward’s preliminary downfall got here after a report by the Solar in July 2023 claimed a “prime BBC Star” had paid an adolescent for sexual pictures.

Days later, his spouse outed him because the presenter on the centre of the scandal and he resigned in April.

He was later charged in June 2024 after a Met Police investigation.

A month later, Edwards pled responsible to creating indecent photos of youngsters and confessed to having 41 pictures on WhatsApp, together with seven of essentially the most critical kind, despatched to him by Alex Williams, a convicted paedophile, the Guardian experiences.

In consequence, he was handed a six-month jail sentence, suspended for 2 years, and was positioned on the intercourse offenders’ register for seven years.

The brand new collection, Energy: The Downfall of Huw Edwards, might be directed by Michael Samuels, identified for The Windermere Kids and Any Human Coronary heart.

A launch date is but to be confirmed.