BBC iPlayer has swiftly removed a Doctor Who episode featuring former and disgraced Welsh reporter and lead presenter at BBC News, Hue Edwards(Skyfall).The episode “Fear Her” aired back in 2006 and had Edwards make a cameo and team with David Tenant (How to Tain Your Dragon) and Billie Piper (Penny Dreadful) to help Chloe Webber, who is being terrorized by a demonic of her father. The decision comes in the wake of Edwards’ guilty plea to the charges of indecent child images. It also represents the company to protect the reputation of the Doctor Who franchise.
According to Deadline, quote from the episode stated, “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?” to which the BBC has yet to comment on. Upon hearing of the nature of his crimes, the executive of the broadcasting company is committed to protecting their young viewers and upholding the high standards that makeup Edwards. As the Daily Mirror via Deadline noted, the footage showcasing Edwards in the episode would be edited out.
According to Deadline, while the episode was well-received at the time, the BBC has evidently decided that its continued presence on the platform is no longer appropriate, given the serious nature of the charges against Edwards. The broadcasting company has removed an episode from season seventeen of The Great British Menu, which had featured Edwards as a judge.
This is just the beginning as BBC faces a decision to replay numerous archived footage of Edwards, who has been a company linchpin and reported on major topics, such as the Queen’s death, and scrub it. While episode eleven will be removed the other episodes of Doctor Who are available to stream on either iPlayer or Disney+.