Martin Clunes as Huw Edwards

Superb acting indeed.
He did not come aross as a nice person. I found it disturbing.
Martin Clunes was excellent.

I felt so sorry for the boy. He was bullied by his stepdad and then abused by Huw Edwards. Huw is a sick paedophile who should have been given a prison sentence. The programme left me feeling sad for the thousands of children affected by sexual grooming and abuse. I hope Ryan Davies has found peace and happiness in his life.

Excellent acting and Martin transformed into Edwards . Why did the judge not sentence Edwards to jail , why did he walk free ? I was surprised to see the police had him on their radar since 2019

I haven’t seen it but Martin Clunes is such a good actor. Whoever he plays is very believable. One of the best.

I’m a bit on the line here, not about the abuse but the programme itself, I watched it but I didn’t find it comfortable viewing because I m not sure how I feel about it being made into ‘entertainment’ while his 5 children are still out there having to endure the results of his behaviour and media attention It felt voyeuristic.
Why was he not criminally convicted, two police forces Met and Welsh didn’t criminally charge him. I don’t understand why they didn’t or have I got that wrong
He certainly came across as a throughly dislikable, power abuser and sexual predator , but only one side was shown
This post is not meant to support him in any way what so ever I m just not sure it should have been made
Yes Martin Clunes played the part well, if that is how Huw Edwards really is I suppose it felt unbalanced to me.

Please don’t think I m defending him I m not. It’s the programme itself I felt uncomfortable with

Huw Edwards who is planning a comeback is hopping mad about this programme. Having watched this last night I can see why.
It shows him as a paedophile, plain and simple. He paid another disgusting individual for 41 Category A-C images of children, some as young as 7. This was a sick side line to his grooming of a young lad and eventually brought about his downfall. The Sun newspaper had been alerted to Edwards and his twisted dealings with young boys since 2019 but there had never been enough evidence to convict him.
I am glad that 'Ryan' who was the latest victim said at the end of the programme that he is now clean from drugs and will not let Edwards define his life going forward. Good for him. He deserves much better than to live his life in Edwards's slimy shadow.
As for planning a comeback I think Huw Edwards should slither back under his stone and count his lucky stars he came across a judge who did not have the backbone to jail him and give these young boys some justice.

BlueBelle

I’m a bit on the line here, not about the abuse but the programme itself, I watched it but I didn’t find it comfortable viewing because I m not sure how I feel about it being made into ‘entertainment’ while his 5 children are still out there having to endure the results of his behaviour and media attention It felt voyeuristic.
Why was he not criminally convicted, two police forces Met and Welsh didn’t criminally charge him. I don’t understand why they didn’t or have I got that wrong
He certainly came across as a throughly dislikable, power abuser and sexual predator , but only one side was shown
This post is not meant to support him in any way what so ever I m just not sure it should have been made
Yes Martin Clunes played the part well, if that is how Huw Edwards really is I suppose it felt unbalanced to me.

Please don’t think I m defending him I m not. It’s the programme itself I felt uncomfortable with

I agree BlueBelle. Too many awful events have been turned into dramas for us to watch from the comfort of our sofas. I can't help feeling that they trivialise events in some way.

I won’t give that piece of dross anymore headspace.

I think not enough thought is given to the families of these perpetrators who have to suffer the whole situation all over again when these programmes are made.

I completely agree with BlueBelle. The programme should never have been made. I’m ashamed to say I watched it, but curiosity won out. I didn’t feel it told me much I didn’t know, and I doubt if it was an accurate picture of events.

I’m surprised that Martin Clunes agreed to do it.

Terribly sad what Edwards did and terribly sad that this is served up to us by way of entertainment.

Yes, I know there is an off switch.

The same sort of thoughts were going through my head as I watched, whilst at the same time being blown away by the superb acting which was quite exceptional.
On the one hand I did feel that dramas such as this do serve to remind us that as a society we should be wary of putting celebrities on a pedestal and allowing them so much power and paying them such ridiculous salaries. They almost become beyond criticism ... Saville and a long list of others. They get away with too much for too long because their fame gives them such power. The disbelief impeded action.

On the other hand his family have to live with all this and a drama rubs salt in the wound.

However the suggestion that Edwards might be contemplating some sort of comeback is sickening. I do not know if that is true, but if this drama deters him, then all to the good.

There were several statements at the end that made it clear that the events portrayed were verifiable. I am sure Channel 5 covered the legal aspects to the letter.

On balance I think that this film is probably justified as a reminder that no-one is above the law and that celebrity should not blind our law enforcers as I think it sometimes does. It also reminds us of the power and importance of drama and the arts as a means of social comment and how these should be supported.

It is quite possible the families were consulted - they may have chosen it was preferable to "out him" in order that it is not forgotten and make it hard for him to create a new career.

and here is your answer, as I googled it

"Yes, the families affected in the Channel 5 factual drama Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards—which stars Martin Clunes—were consulted during its production, according to the broadcaster.

According to Channel 5, the two-part drama was created with input from key individuals involved in the case. Key aspects of the production include:

Family Input: The series was based on interviews with the victim, their family, and journalists, with details on the online pursuit provided to writer Mark Burt by the victim's family.

Victim Consent: Executive producer Samantha Anstiss confirmed the victim, referred to as "Ryan," was interviewed extensively and supported the project, feeling it was the right time to tell their story.

Conflict with Edwards: While Huw Edwards criticized the production for not checking facts with him, Channel 5 maintained the drama was produced in line with Ofcom's code and that allegations were put to him via solicitors prior to broadcast.
BBC"

I didn’t watch I’m very uneasy about these type of program being made for entertainment and how on earth this affects those who were dragged into his world.

I can’t comment on the programme because I didn’t bring myself to watch it.
Whatever Edward’s did and I’m certain it was despicable I don’t think that his family need to be exposed to more horror.
They are innocent and don’t deserve this further punishment.
How can he be thinking of making a comeback, where has that come from.

I wouldn’t stop a programme being made because of distress to the family of a perpetrator. I have sympathy for them - it must be awful to be in their position- but I don’t think they deserve special treatment. The Edwards family didn’t feature, other than as ‘voices off’ (his wife calling him for supper etc) and there was absolutely no suggestion that they were involved in any way. If anyone deserves special treatment it is the victims and their families who need more consideration.

I watched it, and felt it was slow, and far too long, although Clunes was very good, as usual.

I would have liked to see the balance shifted so we saw more of the way the story broke, and how ‘Ryan’ was treated in the media - that was brushed over, as was the impact on people who were suspected of being guilty but weren’t. There was a very long exposition, which I realise helped to explain why ‘Ryan’ got involved in it all, but I felt that could have been condensed and still made the point.

I don’t think it was entertainment so much as a dramatisation of a current (or recent) event. More education than entertainment really.

Cba to watch a sordid programme like that, I watched two more episodes of Schitt’s Creek, much more entertaining!!

More education than entertainment really. - on one level I agree with this, in the same way as the drama about the Post Office scandal was educative. This was generally applauded as it exposed the bad behaviour of an organization rather than an individual, although one individual came in for a great deal of criticism.

PamelaJ1

I can’t comment on the programme because I didn’t bring myself to watch it.
Whatever Edward’s did and I’m certain it was despicable I don’t think that his family need to be exposed to more horror.
They are innocent and don’t deserve this further punishment.
How can he be thinking of making a comeback, where has that come from.

It has been well documented that Barry Tomes, a publicist and media guru, is masterminding Huw Edwards comeback and focusing strongly on his mental health as being a major contributary factor in his actions.
Clearly this drama has divided GN's but if this puts a block on Edwards returning to public life then good. The man is a narcissist who likely sees himself as the victim in all this and not the boys he groomed or the young children being abused for his sexual gratification.

I have recorded it to watch at the weekend but agree Martin Clunes is a superb actor, he can be serious or funny. He will always be the marvellous Gary Strang to me from the absolutely superb Men Behaving Badly. If you ever get chance to watch the Road Trip he did a couple of years ago with his partner in crime Neil Morrisey aka Tony please do. It is a riot of fun and friendship spanning decades. My sons loved Kipper the dog and Bob the Builder when they were little and I always chuckle because it was these 2 men who voiced the characters.

Much as I like Martin Clunes as an actor I couldn’t watch last night. As a victim of abuse I find such things triggering to say the least.

Luckygirl3

*More education than entertainment really.* - on one level I agree with this, in the same way as the drama about the Post Office scandal was educative. This was generally applauded as it exposed the bad behaviour of an organization rather than an individual, although one individual came in for a great deal of criticism.

Yes, that’s how I see it, but it would have been better if we’d seen more about what the BBC knew and how they dealt with it all. The story was not confined to the abuse - it was about how the media handle stories about famous people, and there was little of that in the drama.

Sarnia

PamelaJ1

I can’t comment on the programme because I didn’t bring myself to watch it.
Whatever Edward’s did and I’m certain it was despicable I don’t think that his family need to be exposed to more horror.
They are innocent and don’t deserve this further punishment.
How can he be thinking of making a comeback, where has that come from.

It has been well documented that Barry Tomes, a publicist and media guru, is masterminding Huw Edwards comeback and focusing strongly on his mental health as being a major contributary factor in his actions.
Clearly this drama has divided GN's but if this puts a block on Edwards returning to public life then good. The man is a narcissist who likely sees himself as the victim in all this and not the boys he groomed or the young children being abused for his sexual gratification.

In an interview Barry Tomes has said that there is no question of Edwards staging a comeback. But Tomes is defending Edwards on the grounds of his mental ill health.

I have a certain sympathy with that on one level. Reports that Edwards suffered with depression have been around for a long time. But that does not excuse his behaviour - although Edwards has expressed contrition for what he did which is presumably why he got a light sentence.

Is it right to bring this all up once more in the form of a drama? It does serve to remind us and the law enforcers not to be blinded by celebrity and media image, which has happened far too often and too many innocent victims have suffered.

Edwards knew that what he was doing was wrong, indeed abhorrent. Depression (unfortunate though it is) does not wipe out that awareness.

Edwards has plenty enough money to settle back into retirement and hopefully this is what he is doing.

I have an acquaintance who did similar in terms of downloading images and he said it was "an itch that had to be scratched." We were all of course very shocked, and he lost his job and so much more. He has gone on to support charities involved with child sexual abuse and to talk to offenders in an attempt to redress his wrongdoing. I still feel uncomfortable around him, but at least he is trying.