Martin Clunes' real life controversies, scandals and disappointments as he takes on one of TV's most disgraced stars
Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards is a feature-length factual drama exploring the BBC presenter's criminality
Martin Clunes is taking on the most controversial character of his career in Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards, and he’s been embroiled in some scandals of his own over his 40 year career.
The actor, now 64, has spent 40 years playing likeable characters on TV. But he’s now well and truly in his villain era. Just this year, the London-born star has played violent alcoholic Mr Earnshaw in Wuthering Heights. And now Huw Edwards for a Channel 5 drama.
Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards is a feature-length factual drama exploring the story of how the respected BBC presenter groomed a vulnerable 17-year-old boy. At the time, Huw was arguably one of the most powerful and revered figures in television. The BBC newsreader famously was on air to announce the breaking news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death in 2022. When he spoke, we listened. But that all changed in 2023.
As Martin Clunes appears in the uncomfortable drama exploring Huw’s double life, here’s a look behind the curtains of Martin’s own scandals, controversies, and disappointments.
Martin Clunes scandals: Dropped as a patron of an animal welfare charity
In 2019, an animal welfare charity dropped Martin Clunes as a patron after footage emerged of him riding an elephant in Nepal. He faced fierce criticism over the ‘exploitative’ elephant ride, which he filmed during an episode of ITV programme My Travels And Other Animals.
In a statement, Born Free called the incident “deeply unfortunate”. They said they were “resolutely against” the actions of the actor.
They said: “Born Free has always been opposed to the exploitation of captive wild animals for entertainment and human interactions. There is clear evidence that training, keeping and riding captive elephants causes distress and suffering.”
Born Free swiftly removed Martin as a celebrity patron on the Born Free website. He had previously filmed several adverts for the charity.
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Banned from driving
In November 2012, Martin was banned from driving for six months. This came after he accumulated 12 points on his licence as a result of four separate speeding offences.
At the time, the actor had “totted up” the points which resulted in an automatic driving ban by magistrates. Although how the offences happened or how fast Clunes was travelling was never made public, Martin must have been driving at significant speed.
In the UK, penalty points are added to your licence for driving offences, ranging from three to 11 points for speeding (up to nine points), using a mobile phone (up to six points), drink/drug driving (up to 11 points), and careless driving. Points typically stay on your licence for three to 11 years, and accruing 12 points within three years can lead to disqualification.
At the time of the ban, Martin was 50 years old and lived in Dorset.
Martin Clunes scandals: Sacked by Churchill Insurance
As a result of his driving ban, Churchill Insurance sacked the TV star from their ads. He had previously featured in the lucrative TV campaign alongside the company’s trademark nodding dog.
But Churchill Insurance axed him in November 2012 after he accrued 12 points on his licence for speeding offences and magistrates banned him from driving.
According to Marketing Magazine, external, a spokesman for Churchill said: “Martin Clunes recently informed Churchill Insurance that his driving licence has been suspended after he accumulated penalty points for four speeding offences.
”Churchill Insurance currently has no adverts with Martin Clunes on air and will be moving forward with new advertising in the New Year.”
Television star Martin Clunes has called car insurance company Churchill “rude” for dropping him from its adverts. At the time, he said: “I was very surprised by their reaction. It was neurotic and very heavy-handed. Quite rude, actually. They never said goodbye. They never said thanks. They washed their hands of me completely.”
In 2005, comedian Vic Reeves was previously dropped from the ads after he was caught drink driving.
Backlash after ‘prostitution’ comments
In 2019, Martin Clunes faced backlash after appearing to suggest that actresses flirt with film producers in order to get movie roles. According to The Sun, he described it as “a form of prostitution”.
The TV star was speaking at a charity event when he reportedly said: “Some of these actresses, there are some draped over him in a club. If I did that to them I’d be… I don’t know. It’s not news that these predators allowed some people to… I don’t know.”
He went on to say: “Of course it’s absolutely ghastly. It’s a form of prostitution — the oldest game in the book.”
The comments come amid the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
Primetime show axed by ITV
Martin Clunes was left disappointed last year when ITV cancelled his much-hyped ITV crime drama Out There. In the drama, Martin played against type as a father “forced to do a deal with the devil to protect his family, his land and his livelihood”. The series focused on county-lines dealing in rural Wales.
After airing in January 2025 this year, ITV subsequently cancelled the drama due to low ratings. Martin told The Sun: “We were keen on doing a second series but ITV aren’t, it seems. It didn’t quite pull the numbers they wanted, unfortunately.”
An ITV spokesperson added: “We are really proud of Out There and would like to thank Martin and the production team for delivering a brilliant series. We do always hope to see our series return and we are sorry we didn’t get this drama to connect with a big enough audience to see that happen.”
Out There certainly didn’t gain the popularity of Martin Clunes’ other ITV show Doc Martin, which ran for ten series between 2004 and 2022.
Dispute with neighbours in Dorset
Martin Clunes has been locked in a bitter dispute with his neighbours over their bid to build a caravan site near to his Dorset home.
Over the past four years, the Doc Martin star – and other objectors – have tried to prevent New Age Travellers Theo Langton and Ruth McGill from setting up a permanent camp.
In the most recent objection to the controversial planning application, Martin argued that the proposed woodland encampment is at risk of flooding and therefore is not an appropriate location.
However, a consultation commissioned by the applicants’ planning agents concluded that the development site is safe from surface water flooding for the next 100 years.
Theo Langton and Ruth McGill currently live in a 45ft by 16ft static caravan at the Meerhay site in Beaminster, Dorset. This is just 300 yards from Martin’s £5m farmhouse where he lives with his film producer wife Philippa Braithwaite.
The TV star bought his 130-acre home from Theo’s mother, Georgia Langton, in 2007. In 2022, Theo and Ruth applied for permission to make their caravan site permanent and expand it so their family and friends could visit. The couple currently live “off-grid” without running water or electricity and use a compost toilet.
Martin hired a top planning barrister to fight the case, and called his traveller neighbours “cynical” and “dishonest”. However, just this year, Martin lost the planning battle. Councillors voted to allow the couple to stay on their plot of land, overruling all objections.
Martin Clunes scandals: Playing Huw Edwards in Channel 5 drama
The actor’s latest decision to play Huw Edwards in the Channel 5 drama could arguably be called his bravest – or most stupidest – to date.
He’s a man who has sat very comfortably on primetime telly. He made his name as a teenager in family sitcom No Place Like Home, and went on to play romantic lead William Shawcross in William and Mary, via likeable buffoon Gary in Men Behaving Badly. Martin has even voiced several animated children’s shows such as Kipper.
But, of late, Martin has turned his back on his family-friendly roles such a Doc Martin. Instead he’s chosen to play disgraced BBC presenter Huw Edwards, a man convicted for making indecent images of children.
The film is based on extensive factual research over the past 12 months, including exclusive first-hand interviews with those at the heart of the story. Talking about why he agreed to film the drama, Martin said: “Beyond the salacious curiosity around this story, I really thought there was another story worth telling, that of [Edwards’ victim] ‘Ryan’ and his family.”
But plenty of his former fans have slammed the decision. One said: “I can’t believe the man who voiced one of my favourite childhood characters in the form of Kipper the Dog is now playing the man who used his power to betray this country.”
Another said: “I never understand this urge to make us sit through a dramatisation of the worst things that happen. Like the people who videoed Diana’s funeral: WHY? This isn’t entertainment.”
A third said on X: “Sweet Lord, what on Earth possessed you to make this?”
Multiple others called it “too soon”.
