BAFTA-winning screenwriter Jeff Pope is set to spearhead a hard-hitting new drama for ITV that promises to shine a light on the alarming impact of social media on children today. Produced under Pope’s Etta Pictures banner, the project is a collaborative effort featuring executive producer Lauren Cowell, who approached the network with the ambitious vision after partnering with campaigner Ellen Roome. The drama aims to bypass superficial critiques, instead offering a deep dive into the systemic failures of tech giants and their ability to evade accountability for the psychological and physical safety of their youngest users.
At the core of the narrative is the heart-wrenching journey of Ellen Roome, an advocate who was recently awarded an MBE for her tireless campaign regarding children’s digital safety. Roome’s personal crusade was born from a place of profound grief following the death of her 14-year-old son, Jools Sweeney, who took his own life after allegedly becoming involved in a tragic online challenge. Her advocacy instrumental in the push for “Jools’ Law”—a landmark legislative change recently backed by the UK government that grants grieving families the legal right to access the social media accounts of their deceased children.
To ensure the production maintains the highest standards of integrity and accuracy, Roome will serve as a lead consultant, working closely with Pope and his writing team. The screenwriter, renowned for his ability to translate real-life tragedy into compelling television—most recently evidenced by his work on the harrowing Believe Me—expressed his commitment to the project. Pope noted that the drama arrives at a pivotal historical juncture where parents are increasingly questioning the influence of platforms on their kids’ development, highlighting the “appalling” lack of transparency provided to families seeking answers after a tragedy.
Lauren Cowell, who has heavily campaigned for the “Raise the Age” initiative—which advocates for stricter regulations on “addictive” social media features for users under 16—emphasized that the series is far more than a condemnation of modern technology. “At its heart, it is a story about love, loss, truth, accountability and the desperate urgency to protect children,” Cowell remarked. She expressed profound gratitude to ITV, Pope, and Etta Pictures for their courage in undertaking such a monumental subject, noting her hope that the project acts as a catalyst for conversations that can no longer be ignored by the public or policymakers.
For Roome, the partnership with ITV and Pope offers a rare sense of solace. In a statement, she shared that the decision to bring Jools’ story to the screen serves as a dual purpose: honoring the memory of her son while simultaneously educating the public on the harsh realities faced by modern families. “The fact that ITV and Jeff Pope are committed to this drama has genuinely given me a huge sense of hope,” she said, expressing belief that the production team possesses the necessary sensitivity to elevate these difficult truths into a medium that can eventually spark meaningful change.
As production gears up, ITV describes the untitled drama as a crucial examination of the digital landscape. By weaving together the individual story of the Roome family with a broader systemic critique of the technology sector, the show aims to hold international corporations accountable. The project is expected to be a significant addition to ITV’s drama slate, blending investigative storytelling with a deeply emotional human hook, ultimately seeking to protect the next generation from the risks that Jools and so many other children have tragically encountered.