BBC Pulls 2006 Physician Who Episode That includes Disgraced Information Broadcaster From Streaming

The BBC has pulled the 2006 Doctor Who episode “Fear Her” from streaming on its iPlayer platform, after considered one of its visitor stars, former BBC information anchor Huw Edwards, plead responsible in UK courts on counts of accessing indecent images of children.

Edwards—who left the BBC in April 2024, having been suspended associated to separate allegations in November 2023—seems in a cameo through the climax of the eleventh episode of Physician Who‘s 2006 season. Set within the near-future across the then-upcoming 2012 London Olympics, the episode follows a younger lady possessed by an alien being, whose otherworldly powers start to make individuals mysteriously vanish. Edwards options prominently within the climax of the episode, reporting on the disappearances round a ceremony for the lighting of the Olympic flame.

Up till his suspension final yr, Edwards was some of the recognizable and distinguished information anchors within the UK. A most important presenter for the BBC’s 10 O’clock Information program, Edwards led protection for the broadcaster on main information occasions, together with a number of elections, in addition to  the demise and funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Physician Who just isn’t Edwards’ solely cameo in movie and TV, both: he additionally seems within the 2012 James Bond movie Skyfall, taking part in himself reporting on an assault on the British Intelligence service MI6.

“In November 2023, while Mr Edwards was suspended, the BBC as his employer on the time was made conscious in confidence that he had been arrested on suspicion of great offences and launched on bail while the police continued their investigation. On the time, no expenses had been introduced towards Mr Edwards and the BBC had additionally been made conscious of great danger to his well being,” the BBC mentioned in an announcement, launched after Edwards appeared in court docket yesterday to plead responsible to a few counts of “making” indecent photos of kids, the broad legal term for having both downloaded, accessed, or saved photos on a pc, or be despatched them over social media and chat providers.

“Immediately we now have learnt of the conclusion of the police course of within the particulars as introduced to the court docket. If at any level through the interval Mr Edwards was employed by the BBC he had been charged, the BBC had decided it will act instantly to dismiss him.”

The BBC has but to verify its plans to return “Concern Her” to the iPlayer platform—which had not too long ago grow to be Physician Who‘s definitive streaming home within the UK final yr, internet hosting almost every available episode of the collection throughout its 60+ yr historical past. British tabloid the Mirror studies that the broadcaster has plans re-dub Edwards’ efficiency within the episode with one other actor, though it stays unknown if the BBC will exchange or take away the footage of Edwards’ look altogether.

The episode presently stays accessible to stream in the U.S. on Max. io9 has reached out to Max to ask if it has plans to take away the episode, and can replace this put up if we hear again.

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