Renowned screenwriter Jeff Pope is set to tackle one of the most pressing issues of the digital age in his latest commission for ITV. The upcoming factual drama, which is currently untitled, aims to explore the harrowing reality of how social media platforms impact children’s mental health and safety. Produced by Pope’s own ITV Studios-backed independent production company, Etta Pictures, the series promises a deep dive into the corporate accountability of tech giants, questioning how these organizations continue to evade responsibility for the harm their algorithms and platforms inflict on young users.
The project is rooted in the real-life crusade of grieving mother Ellen Roome, whose 14-year-old son, Julian (“Jools”), tragically died in 2022. Following his untimely death, Roome became a tireless campaigner, fighting for answers and systemic change from technology companies both in the United Kingdom and the United States. Recognizing the universal urgency of her struggle, she will serve as a lead consultant on the production, ensuring that Jools’ story is handled with the profound care, sensitivity, and integrity that his memory demands.
The genesis of this collaboration came about after Jeff Pope was introduced to Lauren Cowell, the partner of television mogul Simon Cowell. Cowell, who has been working closely with Roome on her advocacy mission, recognized the potential for a television drama to bring visibility to the cause. Consequently, Cowell has joined the project as an executive producer, providing high-level support for a narrative that aims to bridge the gap between private tragedy and public awareness. The series is developed in association with Featuristic Films, which had been preparing the story for the screen since late last year.
For Jeff Pope, who is known for his ability to translate complex, sensitive social issues into compelling television, this project marks a necessary confrontation with modern parenthood. “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,” Pope noted. He expressed his dismay at the current landscape, labeling it “appalling” that parents are frequently left without the information or transparency they require to advocate for their children or find answers following a tragedy.
The commission has received full support from ITV’s director of drama, Polly Hill, who described the project as an “urgent campaigning story.” Hill highlighted the show’s significance, noting that the challenge of keeping children safe online is perhaps the most difficult issue facing families today. By platforming the testimonies gathered from Roome and other families across the globe, the series intends to hold a mirror up to an industry that has largely operated without sufficient regulation or moral oversight regarding its youngest users.
This drama follows a string of critically acclaimed, socially conscious works by Pope, including Little Boy Blue, The Walk-In, and his recent factual drama Believe Me, which chronicled the victims of the “black cab rapist” John Worboys. Much like his previous work, which often highlights survivors’ and victims’ fights for justice, this new series is expected to frame the debate around digital safety as a fight for accountability. For Ellen Roome, the partnership with ITV and Pope offers a glimmer of hope that the story of her son’s life and death will not be in vain, potentially sparking a much-needed national and international conversation on online harm.