Doctor Who episode featuring Huw Edwards restored to iPlayer without disgraced presenter

The episode has been edited and restored to the streaming service after being unavailable for months. An episode of Doctor Who featuring disgraced TV presenter Huw Edwards has been restored to BBC iPlayer after being removed from the streaming service for months. Previously the broadcaster’s highest-paid newsreader, 62-year-old Edwards pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent photographs of children, after he was sent 41 illegal images by convicted paedophile Alex Williams. Seven photos were 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 10th Doctor alongside Billie Piper as his companion Rose Tyler. It was removed from the service in August 2024 amid the presenter’s trial. In the episode, the Doctor and Rose travel to the future and go 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.

The episode has now been redubbed to remove Edwards from news clips and commentary throughout the show. Instead the voiceover is conducted by actor Becky Wright, who has previously worked on the show’s podcast series. The episode now features an iPlayer disclaimer that reads: “This programme has been edited since broadcast. There are a number of reasons why a programme may have been edited including legal, contractual or technical issues.”.

Originally, a televised BBC news report played on a laptop in the girl’s bedroom, with Edwards’ voice heard commentating on the Olympic torch ceremony. Suddenly, everyone sat in the stadium disappeared because Chloe drew them while watching at home. In the original version, Edwards could 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?”.

The new dialogue now says: “My God, what’s going on here? The crowd has vanished, they’re gone, everyone has gone. Thousands of people have just gone, right in front of my eyes. It’s impossible. Bob? Bob, can we join you in the box? Not you too, Bob…”. The televised episode also saw Tennant’s character is seen on TV carrying the Olympic torch, while Edwards said in the running commentary: “Nobody has any idea who he is.”.

When the Doctor makes everyone reappear, Edwards then said: “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.”. Wright’s voice over now says: “Just look at this, utterly incredible scenes at the Olympic Stadium. 80,000 athletes and spectators, they disappeared, they’ve come back. They’ve returned, they’ve reappeared. It’s quite incredible.”.