BBC Breakfast Host Moved to Tears by Grieving Mother's Campaign for Justice
BBC Breakfast presenter Sally Nugent became visibly emotional during Monday's broadcast as she interviewed a grieving mother whose tireless advocacy has led to a significant legal change. Ellen Roome MBE lost her 14-year-old son Jools in 2022 after he participated in a dangerous online challenge that ended tragically. Despite a narrative verdict being delivered at the inquest, Ellen and her husband were persistently denied access to Jools' social media accounts, preventing them from uncovering the precise circumstances of his death.
A Mother's Determined Journey to New York
In a powerful prerecorded segment featured on the programme, Ellen detailed her extraordinary journey to New York, where she confronted the social media companies directly responsible for blocking her inquiries. This bold move was driven by her unwavering determination to seek answers and prevent other families from enduring similar anguish. Her efforts have now culminated in the introduction of "Jools' Law," designed to ensure parents in comparable situations can obtain timely access to critical digital information.
During the interview, an emotional Sally Nugent told Ellen, "You did it," to which Ellen responded, "You're crying, I thought I'd cry." Ellen bravely admitted, "I wanted to make something positive out of the loss of Jools' life," highlighting her mission to transform personal tragedy into societal protection.
The Ongoing Pain and Unanswered Questions
Ellen poignantly expressed the enduring heartbreak, stating, "It's just really hard, because this little boy should be sat here right now with two loving parents and family. It's not just us, his family, grandparents, uncles, brothers, sisters, his friends—it's not just us who lost him." She revealed her desperate struggle to comprehend why her son is no longer here, emphasizing that even with the new law's passage, she still lacks closure regarding Jools' final moments.
Reflecting on her advocacy, Ellen said, "I'm just a mum that stood up and said, this is wrong, and I've repeated my story over and over. I just tried to use Jools' story to make a difference, and make something positive out of it." Sally Nugent, clearly affected, praised Ellen as "so much more than a mum," noting her courage in speaking to people in power and sharing Jools' story at every opportunity.
Future Missions and Unwavering Resolve
Admitting to sleepless nights ahead of the interview, Ellen shared, "Last night, I couldn’t sleep, I was just crying because Jools would be so proud." She clarified that her motivation stems not from pride or gratification but from a deep-seated desire to spare others her pain. "I'm not doing it for proudness or gratification, I was just so determined that I don't want anybody to feel the pain that I felt," she explained.
Ellen outlined her next mission: to finally discover what happened to Jools. "So I set about with two things, and I now need to find answers for Jools, that's my next mission and I'm not stopping," she vowed, asserting her commitment to "try everything" in this quest. She added, "I'm not stopping, there's no way I’m stopping. There's so much more we've got to achieve."
While uncertain about future legal steps, Ellen pledged support for all initiatives aimed at enhancing child safety online. "I don't know what my next steps are going forward with regards to changing the law, but I am backing all of those people that want to make it safer for children. Safeguarding is a number one priority and we 100% need to do more, and I'll be there every step of the way," she affirmed.
BBC Breakfast airs daily on BBC One from 6am and is available to stream on iPlayer.
