BBC removes Doctor Who episode with Huw Edwards cameo from iPlayer

Disgraced newsreader made cameo in 2006 episode starring David Tennant and Billie Piper

The BBC has removed a Doctor Who episode featuring disgraced presenter Huw Edwards from its streaming platform iPlayer.

The 62-year-old, previously the broadcaster’s highest-paid newsreader, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to three charges of making indecent photographs of children, after he was sent 41 illegal images by convicted paedophile Alex Williams, with seven being of the most serious type.

Edwards featured as himself in a 2006 episode of the sci-fi series called “Fear Her”, which was part of David Tennant’s debut series as the tenth Doctor alongside Billie Piper as his companion Rose Tyler.

In the episode, the Doctor and Rose travel to the future and travel to the London 2012 Olympics, but before they can enjoy the games, the pair are drawn into saving the lives of billions of people after they discover a little girl, called Chloe Webber, is unwittingly making people disappear by drawing them. Meanwhile, the girl’s mother is doing her best to hide her daughter’s unearthly powers.

In one scene, a televised BBC news report is playing on a laptop in the girl’s bedroom, with Edwards’ voice heard commentating on the Olympic torch ceremony.

A still from ‘Fear Her’ that shows a BBC News report with Edwards’ voice providing commentary (BBC)

Suddenly, everyone sat in the stadium disappears because Chloe has drawn them while watching at home.

Edwards can be heard 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?”

As the ceremony draws to a close and the Doctor is trying to save the day, Tennant’s character is seen on TV carrying the Olympic torch, while Edwards says in the running commentary: “Nobody has any idea who he is”.

When the Doctor makes everyone reappear, Edwards says: “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.”

Billie Piper and David Tennant in ‘Fear Her’ (BBC)

While the episode received widespread praise when it was first aired in 2006, the BBC appears to have removed the episode from its streaming service after Edwards pleaded guilty to making indecent photographs of children.

At the time of writing, a preview of the episode is still available to watch on the site, but the full episode is listed as “no longer available”. The Independent has contacted the BBC for comment.

A BBC spokesperson said earlier this week regarding Huw Edwards: “The BBC is shocked to hear the details which have emerged in court today. There can be no place for such abhorrent behaviour and our thoughts are with all those affected.

"The police have confirmed that the charges are not connected to the original complaint raised with the BBC in the summer of 2023, nevertheless in the interests of transparency we think it important to set out some points about events of the last year.

Former BBC broadcaster Huw Edwards arriving at court on Wednesday (PA Wire)

After his guilty plea, the BBC said it had been made aware in confidence in November that he had been arrested on suspicion of serious offences and released on bail while police investigations continued.

“At the time, no charges had been brought against Edwards and the BBC had also been made aware of significant risk to his health,” the broadcaster said.

Edwards resigned in April “on the basis of medical advice from his doctors” after unrelated allegations that he paid a young person for sexually explicit photos.

The newsreader had long been a fixture in the coverage of major political and royal events, announcing the Queen’s death on the BBC and presenting coverage of her funeral. He also anchored the BBC’s broadcast of the King’s coronation last year.

Last year, Edwards had a £40,000 increase to his six-figure salary, despite being suspended for most of last year. In the corporation’s annual report, which was released this week, it was revealed that Edwards earned between £475,000-£479,999, up from £435,000-£439,999 in the previous report.

Responding to numerous questions from reporters at a media briefing, the BBC’s director general Tim Davie defended an increase in Edwards’ salary, saying it was part of the corporation’s pay progress and that the organisation was acting “proportionally”.