A new ITV drama will tell the story of 14-year-old Jools Sweeney whose death his mother believes was due to an online challenge that went wrong.
Jools was found unconscious in his bedroom in April 2022, with an inquest returning a narrative verdict ruling that it was unlikely Jools had intended to end his life, but that the exact events leading up to his death were unclear. Earlier this year, his mother – Ellen Roome – applied to the High Court for a new inquest into his death.
Roome, from Cheltenham, has been campaigning for access to his social media accounts for over four years, with social media companies telling her that they cannot release the data due to issues around privacy – voicing concern that other people may be identified in the messages.
Roome is fighting for a change in the law – to be called Jools’ Law – that would force social media firms to give their children’s data to bereaved parents.
“To lose a child under any situation is horrific, but to lose a child and not understand why... everybody in his life thought he was a normal happy kid,” Roome said to the BBC in 2025.
ITV has commissioned a drama depicting the devastating global impact of social media on children, following the story of Roome and other families who have campaigned for online safety for children.
The drama will be produced by Jeff Pope’s Etta Pictures, part of ITV Studios. Pope’s interest in the drama came after meeting Lauren Cowell, the wife of TV personality Simon Cowell, who had been working closely with Roome.
Roome – who was made an MBE last year for services to children’s online safety – will serve as a consultant on the drama, working with Pope and Cowell, who will executive produce the series.
“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,” said Roome.
“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.”
Pope is no stranger to dramatising real-life events, having recently released Believe Me about the women who reported rapist John Worboys. He also made See No Evil about the Moors murders; A Confession about the murders of Sian O’Callaghan and Becky Godden-Edwards; Little Boy Blue about the murder of 11-year-old Rhys Jones; Four Lives about serial killer Stephen Port; and Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes about the fatal shooting of an innocent Brazilian man by London police in 2005.
Earlier this year, the BBC attracted criticism after appointing Pope as the writer of a forthcoming drama about the 2021 abduction and murder of Sarah Everard. Around 400 female scriptwriters signed a letter voicing shock at the BBC decision to commission a male writer for the series.
In his response, Pope defended his position, stating: “With all the factual dramas I make, my first and last responsibility is to the individuals impacted and their families and friends.”
He added that he approaches every subject with “sensitivity, respect and meticulous research” and believes he is “ultimately accountable to the people closest to these stories”.
This article was amended the day after publication. It previously stated that an inquest into Jools’ death found that he died by suicide, however this was incorrect. The inquest returned a narrative verdict that it was unlikely he had died by suicide.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
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