Her new documentary will unpack the tragic passing of her daughter Brianna and focuses on how we can change the future
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE PROVIDED BY FAMILY
ITV’s new documentary Brianna: A Mother’s Story will follow Esther Ghey’s journey to understanding the tragic murder of her teenage daughter Brianna. The film will feature interviews with Brianna’s family and friends, whilst also unpacking how social media can be made safer for teenagers.
Brianna Ghey was found with fatal stab wounds in February 2023 in Linear Park, Warrington. Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe were later found guilty for her murder. Both were sentenced to life imprisonment.
In this new documentary, Esther will not only be speaking about her daughter Brianna but will also explore the growing mental health crisis in teenagers. At a press screening of the film on Sunday (23 March), Esther spoke about the impact of social media on both her daughter and her life.
“When you lose a child, especially in a tragic circumstance which is so high profile, your child essentially becomes public property,” she said. “Anybody can write anything that they want, anybody can make any kind of film that they want and it was really important for me to work with somebody I trusted, and really important to make sure the documentary was authentic and showed Brianna for who she was.”
The filmmakers have said that this film “completely encapsulated Brianna’s personality, especially her fun side”, allowing her legacy to be remembered by those who loved her.
Esther also called for a ban on social media for under-16s, describing it as an “absolute cesspit”. Documenting her own experience with social media after Brianna’s murder, Esther said that she received no support when dealing with negative comments. “I’ve reported so many comments, and I always get the response that they haven’t done anything wrong, that it’s not something that they can take down, and our children have access to those comments.”
She added: “No matter how much love and compassion you pump into your child when you’re bringing them up, how much empathy you can teach them, they will then go online and they’ll see the way that people are speaking about others and they might think that’s right.”
Prior to this documentary, Esther has campaigned for more mental health support in schools, and has spoken to the Prime Minister about the need to protect teenagers online.
Brianna: A Mother’s Story will air at 9 pm on ITV1 and ITVX on Thursday 27 March.
DIVA magazine celebrates 31 years in print in 2025. If you like what we do, then get behind LGBTQIA media and keep us going for another generation. Your support is invaluable.
