Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has expressed his anger over a new Channel 5 drama that portrays his controversial fall from grace.

His reaction comes amid news that Edwards is planning a return to the public eye. He has issued a heartfelt apology to the Daily Mail for his 2024 conviction related to possessing indecent images of children.

The 64-year-old Edwards criticized Wonderhood, the company responsible for creating the two-part drama titled “Power: The Downfall Of Huw Edwards,” which is set to premiere tomorrow night at 9 p.m. with Martin Clunes in the lead role.

In an exclusive statement to the Daily Mail, Edwards remarked, “They made no effort to verify the accuracy of their story with me before proceeding with production.”

He further noted, “Their request for a response came only after the drama was completed, with the caveat that they could edit any of my comments. Additionally, they refused to reveal if any individuals making allegations were compensated for their input.”

Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards leaves court after being handed a six-moth suspended jail sentence for child abuse image offences in 2024

“Channel 5’s so-called ‘factual drama’ is unlikely to truly reflect what transpired,” Edwards concluded.

The drama charts how Edwards groomed a young man on social media. No doubt, it will be a painful watch for the former BBC News at Ten host, not least as it will be a reminder that just three years ago he was still presenting the flagship show – a job he did for decades, breaking some of the nation’s biggest news stories including the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Now, though, it seems possible we will be seeing Edwards again.

A source said: ‘Huw has got himself an agent and we are going to be seeing something of him in the coming months.’

The statement goes on to offer ‘regret and remorse’ for his crimes. He received a six-month sentence suspended for two years after admitting three charges of making indecent images of children.

It says: ‘My deep regret and remorse for the crimes I committed were expressed in court. In pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity, I took full responsibility for my reprehensible actions. I am repelled by the idea that some people enjoy viewing indecent images of children. Every image represents an innocent victim. I offer my sincere and profound apologies for what I did.’

Edwards also told the Daily Mail that he plans to tell his side of the story: ‘I am making an effort to produce my own account of these terrible events. This is a slow process given the fragile state of my health.

‘I have been open about my struggle with persistent mental illness over a period of 25 years. What is less well known is the severity of that condition, which was managed successfully until the downward spiral which led to an appalling outcome.

‘Mental illness is misunderstood by many but can never be an excuse for criminality.

‘It 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.’

Channel 5’s new drama based on the story, called Power: The Downfall Of Huw Edwards, starring Martin Clunes and Osian Morgan

Former newsreader Edwards was arrested in November 2023 by Met Police in relation to possessing indecent images of children

While Edwards apologised for actions leading to his conviction, he did not apologise for his interactions with the teenager.

One source harshly criticised the statement: ‘It feels like Huw is deluded and self-pitying – but he clearly wants his say,’ they said.

And a BBC insider said: ‘Huw hid behind his mental health for quite some time. He got very good care yet is still talking about it.’

A promotional summary of the programme reads: ‘The drama explores the story of how a vulnerable 17-year-old was groomed by one of the most powerful figures in television – Huw Edwards.

‘Starring Martin Clunes as Edwards, the series explores the newsreader’s double life as it spirals out of control, leading him to make the greatest announcement of his career – his total exit from public life following his conviction for serious child sexual offences.’

Edwards is yet to see the show but told the Daily Mail: ‘It 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.’

It seems rather bizarre that Edwards, who retreated from London to the quiet Welsh village where his mother lives, has decided to take pre-emptive action. Not least because the drama will inevitably bring up again the horrific time that his ex-wife Vicky Flind and their five children endured.

She ended their 30-year marriage after police charged him. Family friends say it has been devastating for them.

A Channel 5 spokesman said: ‘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.’