Doctor Who episode featuring Huw Edwards removed from BBC iPlayer - will be edited and reinstated
The disgraced broadcaster filmed a cameo appearance in 2006.
An episode of Doctor Who featuring former BBC newsreader Huw Edwards has been pulled from BBC iPlayer, following the disgraced journalist's recent guilty plea to three counts of making indecent images of children.
However, RadioTimes.com understands the episode will be re-dubbed and reinstated on BBC iPlayer.
Edwards made a cameo appearance as himself in 2006 episode Fear Her, which sees the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) and Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) jump forward five years to get an advance look at the then-upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games.
Doctor Who has periodically made use of real-life television personalities to help ground the show more firmly in our world, with Edwards being one such case.
He appears briefly presenting on BBC News about the events of the episode, in which people begin mysteriously disappearing due to the otherworldly powers of a possessed young girl.
Immediately after the incident, Edwards can be heard narrating coverage, saying: "My God, what’s going on here? The crowd has just vanished, right in front of my eyes. It’s impossible. Bob, can we go to you in the box? Bob? Not you too?"
After the crisis is resolved, he is heard again saying: "They’ve reappeared! It's quite incredible. And a mystery man, we've no idea who he is, has picked up the flame. It's more than heat and light, it's hope and it's courage and it's love."
RadioTimes.com has reached out to the BBC for further comment.
The BBC is currently facing questions about its handling of the scandal surrounding Edwards, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy questioning director-general Tim Davie today on why the newsreader was paid for months after his arrest in November.
Earlier this week, a BBC spokesperson commented: "In November 2023, whilst Mr Edwards was suspended, the BBC as his employer at the time was made aware in confidence that he had been arrested on suspicion of serious offences and released on bail whilst the police continued their investigation.
"At the time, no charges had been brought against Mr Edwards and the BBC had also been made aware of significant risk to his health.
"Today we have learnt of the conclusion of the police process in the details as presented to the court. If at any point during the period Mr Edwards was employed by the BBC he had been charged, the BBC had determined it would act immediately to dismiss him.
"In the end, at the point of charge he was no longer an employee of the BBC."
Today, Nandy told BBC News: "My concern is to make sure warning signs are caught, complaints are acted on, public money used well, and to make sure as far as humanly possible, we don't have a repeat of this situation in the future."
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
