ITV’s Director of Drama Polly Hill has commissioned a drama depicting the devastating impact of social media on children and examining the extent to which technology companies are able to evade responsibility and scrutiny, following the inspirational story of Ellen Roome MBE and the other families all over the world who have campaigned tirelessly for online safety for children in the digital age.
The drama is produced by ITV Studios’ Etta Pictures and written by Jeff Pope, whose interest came about after meeting Lauren Cowell who has been working with Roome. She believes that the tragic death of her 14-year-old son Julian ‘Jools’ Sweeney could have been linked to harmful social media.
Roome has spent the last four years trying to find out why her son died in April 2022, after a typical day playing with friends, making it her mission to fight for answers from technology companies on both side of the Atlantic as the family do not have access to her son’s social media platforms.
“This is an incredibly important story for us to tell,” said Polly Hill. “A mother who has tragically lost her son and is fighting the social media giants for answers. It’s an urgent campaigning story and the most challenging issue we all face is how to keep our children safe on social media.”
Roome will act as a consultant for the drama, and she will work with Jeff Pope, and his production team at Etta Pictures, throughout the writing of the series. Alongside Jeff Pope, Lauren Cowell, who approached ITV with the idea for the drama, will executive produce the series. The drama is produced in association with Featuristic Films.
Jeff Pope said: “Ellen’s story is tragic and inspiring in equal measure. I think we are at a point in history when every parent is starting to ask questions about social media and what it is doing to our children. It’s appalling that parents aren’t given the information they need in the quest for answers about what has happened to their children.”
Ellen Roome said: “The fact that ITV and Jeff Pope are committed to this drama has genuinely given me a huge sense of hope and reassurance. I truly feel they will not only tell my story, but most importantly Jools’ story, with the care, sensitivity and integrity it deserves.
“What happened to Jools changed my life forever, but if telling his story can help protect other children and make people truly understand the reality of what families are facing, then I know there is purpose in doing this. Thank you all again for believing in this and for committing yourselves to such an important story.”
Lauren Cowell added: “Ellen’s story is one of the most powerful, heartbreaking and important stories I have ever come across. What she and the other bereaved families have endured is beyond devastating, and yet through unimaginable grief they have found the strength to stand up, speak out and fight for change so that other children and families do not suffer the same pain.
“I feel enormously privileged to help support and amplify the voices of these families, as this is not simply a drama about social media. At its heart, it is a story about love, loss, truth, accountability and the desperate urgency to protect children. I hope it moves people, challenges people and starts conversations that cannot be ignored any longer. I am incredibly grateful to ITV, Jeff Pope and Etta Pictures for having the courage and compassion to take on something of this magnitude.”
Jeff Pope recently wrote and executive produced Believe Me which is currently streaming on ITVX about three women who were survivors of black cab rapist John Worboys.
An Academy Award nominee for the film Philomena, his television credits also include Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, Little Boy Blue, Archie, The Walk-In, A Confession, Mrs Biggs and Cilla.
Pippa Considine
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