Disgraced BBC newsreader Huw Edwards has turned down an offer to appear in a film about a fictional broadcaster's fall from grace, reportedly because he wishes to control the narrative of his own comeback. Producers for the film, titled 'The Janitor,' had approached Edwards to play himself in a cameo role.
Sources close to the former presenter indicated that Edwards believes the film role was not the right avenue for his return to the public eye. He is said to still desire telling his side of the story, but on his own terms. Big Bear Little Bear Productions, the company behind 'The Janitor,' is now reportedly seeking another actor to portray him. The film, which has begun shooting in Birmingham, draws inspiration from the scandal surrounding Edwards and explores themes of the "true cost of silence" within the media industry, according to Jamie Ball, head of media at Core Productions.
Edwards, who was convicted of making indecent images of children, has recently launched a Substack column as a potential step towards public redemption. The column, titled 'Croeso. Fáilte. Bienvenue. Welcome,' features analysis on current affairs and mental health, and promises a "Relaunch" from someone with "four decades years [sic] in broadcast journalism." He also expressed a desire to discuss the criminal justice system and the realities of long-term mental illness.
This move follows a Channel 5 dramatization of his crimes in March, after which Edwards stated that other opportunities would arise for him to present his case and challenge what he described as misleading or fabricated claims. He announced plans to produce his own account, whether through a documentary or podcast series, to tell his side of the story.
Edwards pleaded guilty in July 2024 to receiving 41 indecent images of children. He received a six-month suspended sentence and was placed on the sex offenders' register for seven years. He has reportedly declined to return a £200,000 salary paid by the BBC between his arrest in November 2023 and his resignation in April 2024. Following the scandal, Edwards separated from his wife of 30 years and relocated to Wales to live with his mother.
His former publicist, Barry Tomes, is reportedly in talks to be an executive producer on 'The Janitor.' However, Tomes has expressed skepticism about Edwards's recent public activities, suggesting that Edwards misses the limelight but is going about a return to public life incorrectly and that "nobody cares about his opinion anymore" given the nature of his crimes.
The suspended prison sentence for Edwards is due to conclude in approximately two months, with those close to him suggesting that a more definitive public statement or return could occur sooner rather than later.