A true crime drama about Huw Edwards which aired on 5 earlier this year has sparked an Ofcom investigation.
Back in March, Wuthering Heights actor Martin Clunes took the lead in Power: The Downfall Of Huw Edwards, which centred on the former BBC presenter’s very public fall from grace.
In the lead-up to its release, Edwards spoke out against the programme, and has since confirmed that he made a complaint to Ofcom about it, which the media regulator is now investigating.
“We are investigating a fairness and privacy complaint about this programme,” a rep for the TV watchdog has said.
In 2023, Edwards landed at the centre of a nationwide scandal when it emerged he had been accused of paying a young person to pose for sexually explicit photos, which led to him being suspended from the national broadcaster.
The following year, having withdrawn from public life, it was made public that Edwards had pleaded guilty to having 41 indecent images of children, which, according to BBC News’ reporting at the time, included seven of the most serious category A images and two clips showing a child as young as seven.
Edwards was eventually sentenced to six months in prison, suspended over a two-year period, and placed on the sex offenders’ register, which he was required to sign for the following seven years.
In a statement issued to The Guardian on Monday, Edwards said: “I am relieved that Ofcom has seen fit to investigate the ‘factual drama’ made by Channel 5 and Wonderhood Studios.
“The drama gave viewers a wholly misleading and unfair version of events. I was not given a fair opportunity to respond to the many inaccuracies and fabrications in the programme.”
“I can say no more at this stage. I hope Ofcom is allowed to consider my complaint objectively, free from intimidation from hostile parts of the press,” he added.
A rep for 5 (previously known as Channel 5) also told the outlet: “We stand by the programme and will be robustly defending this complaint.”
Earlier this year, a 5 spokesperson insisted: “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.”
