Peter Andre has exclusively revealed his own fears for his kids as chart-topping Adolescence has shone a spotlight on the dangers faced by teens online – as he calls for the drama to be shown in parliament.
Peter Andre has spoken out about his fears for his children’s safety online, calling for urgent action from the government. It comes as the star praised powerful new drama Adolescence, which has gripped the nation and become the number one most-watched show on Netflix around the world, for shining a light on the dangers faced by young people today.
Taking to his OK! column, the singer and dad-of-five exclusively revealed how the drama has struck a chord with parents – even those like him who haven’t had a chance to watch it yet. “I may be the only person on the planet who hasn’t seen Adolescence,” Peter, 52, confessed, “Yet, I hear the acting is phenomenal and people want it to be shown in parliament to educate.”
READ MORE: Adolescence star Stephen Graham to meet with MPs following impact of Netflix show
The hard-hitting Stephen Graham-starring miniseries, which has received rave reviews and huge media attention, follows a 13-year-old boy who is arrested for the murder of a school classmate – and forces his parents to confront every parent’s worst nightmare, shining a light on the dangers of social media bulling and incel indoctrination.
The show has sparked a national conversation, with PM Sir Keir Starmer speaking out about the need to crack down on the “emerging and growing problem” raised by the show, and calls from campaigners, MPs, and educators to have it screened in the House of Commons to raise awareness about online safety.
Peter, is dad to teenagers Junior, 19, and Princess, 17 with ex-wife Katie Price, as well as three younger children with his wife Emily, says the message behind the show is deeply relevant to every parent. He said: “I agree – online safety is such an important and relatable topic for every parent.”
In his column, Peter goes on to explain that he relates to the challenges parents face in trying to strike a balance between giving their children freedom while still protecting them from harm – particularly in the online space where risks are harder to spot.
“It’s difficult to strike a balance between independence and safety, and we need the government to put in safety measures,” he urged. The star is known for being a hands-on father and has spoken candidly in the past about the pressures of raising children in the public eye. As his older children grow up and take more control over their own digital lives, he says he’s seen the risks and realities first-hand.
He added: “I’ve seen it first hand – having teenagers. We need better safety measures that apply to everyone.”
Though Adolescence isn’t about one real person or event in particular, co-creator and actor Stephen Graham has explained that it’s inspired by the current state of society.
Speaking to Netflix’s Tudum, the actor said: ” There was an incident where a young boy allegedly stabbed a girl. It shocked me. I was thinking, ‘What’s going on? What’s happening in society where a boy stabs a girl to death? What’s the inciting incident here?’ And then it happened again, and it happened again, and it happened again.” Stephen, 51, added: “I really just wanted to shine a light on it, and ask, ‘Why is this happening today? What’s going on? How have we come to this?'”
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