The BBC has quietly removed a 'Doctor Who' episode featuring disgraced news anchor Huw Edwards from its iPlayer streaming service. The episode, 'Fear Her' from Season 2, starring David Tennant and Billie Piper, was available on iPlayer as recently as last month but has now been taken down.
The decision comes after Edwards pleaded guilty to indecent child image charges this week. While he does not appear on screen in the episode, his voice is heard during a news segment, in which he reports on the mysterious disappearance of a crowd at a sports stadium.
"My God, what's going on here? The crowd has just vanished, right in front of my eyes," he says. "It's impossible. Bob, can we go to you in the box? Bob? Not you too?"
The BBC has not yet commented on the removal of the episode, but it is likely that the decision was made to avoid any association with Edwards, given the nature of his crimes and the show's young audience.
The Daily Mirror reports that footage of Edwards will be edited out of other existing broadcasts, posing a difficult task for the BBC. Edwards, a well-known figure in British broadcasting, has appeared in countless archive footage, including major national events like the Queen's death.
The removal of 'Fear Her' from iPlayer has also sparked questions about whether the BBC will remove Edwards from other popular programmes such as the James Bond film 'Skyfall,' where he plays a newsreader.
The BBC faces a delicate balancing act in deciding how to handle its extensive archive footage featuring Edwards. Striking a balance between historical accuracy and ethical considerations will be a key challenge in the aftermath of this scandal.