Edwards (portrayed in this one-off drama by Martin Clunes) was ultimately convicted on three counts of making indecent images of children, for which he was given a six-month suspended sentence and listed on the sex offenders' register.
The anonymous individual, referred to as 'Ryan' in the dramatisation (played by Osian Morgan), was at the centre of early reports by The Sun, which revealed that Edwards had been paying him for sexual videos.
This drama, written and produced in collaboration with the victim and his family, aims to help rectify that balance. Here you'll find an overview of the disturbing true story that inspired Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards.
Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards true story – how did the scandal unfold?
Though not the only noteworthy story he covered in his years behind the BBC News desk, this particular report epitomises the sheer level of trust that the corporation – and viewers at home – placed in Edwards at that point in time.
"From a craft point of view, we wanted to get the look of the scene right... but what really interested me was exploring what's going on underneath with Huw Edwards's hidden life at that time."
The connection began during the COVID-19 pandemic – another time when BBC News played a pivotal role in our day-to-day lives – after 17-year-old 'Ryan' met Alex Williams on a dating app, who informed him that Edwards would be open to contact.
Williams was later revealed to have supplied Edwards with indecent images of children, although 'Ryan' did not know this at the time.
This money became increasingly important to 'Ryan', whose turbulent relationship with his mother and step-father had led him to sleep on friends' sofas and even at a homeless shelter.
He recalled feeling, during the period of their communication, that Edwards genuinely "cared" for him, but later came to view these exchanges in a very different light.
"I feel like he sort of fed on my vulnerability... as he knew I needed the money. I felt like I was being groomed."
He added: "That's how the manipulation started. I looked up to this man but he didn't really care about me. I felt like he was taking advantage of me but I felt I had to listen to him because he was Huw Edwards."
View Green Video on the source websiteThey were horrified when they learned of the influence that Edwards had over their son and the material that they had been sharing, not least because they said the money from the BBC star was going towards 'Ryan's addiction to crack cocaine.
When the corporation failed to take swift action, their next port of call was The Sun newspaper and its reporter Scarlet Howes, who published an initial story in July 2023 that sent a shockwave through the UK media industry.
Due to legal concerns, Edwards was not named at this stage, resulting in a flurry of accusations on social media as users speculated on the identity of the mystery celebrity.
After almost a week of such frenzied activity, Edwards's wife Vicky Flind released a statement confirming his identity as the subject of The Sun's reporting.
"The events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters, he has suffered another serious episode and is now receiving in-patient hospital care where he'll stay for the foreseeable future."
However, these misgivings largely fell away in July 2024, a year on from the initial report, when the Metropolitan Police charged Edwards with making indecent images of children (by receiving them digitally).
It was at this stage that 'Ryan' finally dropped any attempts to justify Edwards's conduct to himself or others.
The BBC later apologised to 'Ryan's parents following a review into its complaints procedure, admitting that it should have acted more quickly on their initial complaint.
"After trusting us, [The Sun] was able to share affidavits and incredible first-hand primary source materials," she recalled. "These text messages, which I must admit, when I first saw them, I felt like I was going into the heart of darkness."
The sentence was reduced due to the ex-presenter's mental health issues and his early plea, although some commentators have questioned its perceived lenience in that it did not demand any prison time.
In the midst of all these questions, revelations and furious debates, the matter of 'Ryan's interactions with Edwards became a less talked-about point, despite the hurt that he and his family had suffered through.
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