Martin Clunes has issued a bilstering verdict on mainstream tabloids as he delves into the role of Huw Edwards for Channel 5's forthcoming drama Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards, which airs on March 24.
The 64-year-old actor had his ears pinned back and adopted the 5:2 diet to embody the former presenter, who pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children at Westminster Magistrates Court in July 2024.
Clunes captures Edwards's appearance down to the precise details, including the short back and sides haircut with exact side-parting and the characteristic arm extended over the news desk.
The actor suggested the transformation came relatively naturally. "I don't really sound like him, but we watched him every night on TV," Clunes explained. "He seeps in a bit."
The star opened up about how he felt playing the disgraced star
|CHANNEL 5
To master Edwards's distinctive vocal delivery, Clunes and his wife spent considerable time studying archive material of the broadcaster.
"My wife and I listened to archive stuff," the actor revealed. "It was really weird, because you thought that he would be off duty and fun, but he was being quite creepy.
“I had it on my phone and would listen just to keep his interesting rhythms."
The portrayal required particular attention to Edwards's delivery of major news events, most notably his announcement of the Queen's death in 2022.
Mr Edwards was part of the BBC team for the majority of his career
|GETTY/BBC
"Edwards delivering the news of the Queen's death is so well known, that it needed mimicry from me, in a way," Clunes said.
"Those rhythms and sounds had to be spot on. I was happy to get it sounding right.”
The emotional weight of filming proved considerable for Clunes, particularly during scenes depicting text message exchanges between Edwards and the teenage victim, identified in the drama as Ryan.
"It was hard towards the end of the story, hearing Osian's vulnerable voice when Edwards was bullying him, and the hurt of this boy reaching out in a sensitive way," Clunes said.
The actor opened up on what he felt about mainstream media
|CHANNEL 5
"I didn't feel very nice at the end of those scenes."
Both Clunes and Osian Morgan, who plays Ryan, remained present on set throughout filming to support one another and create a sense of intimacy, despite their characters' interactions occurring remotely.
The actor credited his familiar camera crew with helping him navigate the difficult material.
"I was working with the same camera crew that we had on Out There, who I adore, so I was among friends. I don't know how I would have done it otherwise," he said.
The disgraced star pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children
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Channel 5 has defended the drama against criticism that it arrives too soon after Edwards's conviction.
Ben Frow, the broadcaster's chief content officer, rejected such concerns at a recent screening. "I think it isn't too soon," he stated.
"If you want to reach as many people as possible and highlight how grooming works and the insidiousness of grooming, drama is [the] most powerful way to do it."
Executive producer Sam Anstiss emphasised that the victim himself determined the appropriate moment. "The timing was right.
Mr Edwards no longer works for the coorperation
|GETTY
"The victim was ready to tell his story. There are really urgent themes in this drama around online safety and the leniency of the sentencing."
Frow added that Power offered "a different side of the story" while addressing the "serious issue" of grooming young men and abuse of power.
The drama centres on Ryan's experience rather than exploring Edwards's family life, a deliberate creative choice by the production team.
Clunes explained the reasoning behind this approach. "Huw Edwards is the bad guy," he said. "So, we don't need [to see] the bad guy's family."
The only reference to Edwards's relatives comes through his wife Vicky Flind's public statement from July 2023, which identified him as the presenter accused of paying for sexual images of a teenager.
When asked whether he felt sympathy for Edwards's family, Mr Clunes acknowledged their suffering. "I do.
There's no denying the fact that the families of people who commit these crimes are secondary victims. But this is Ryan's story."
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