Written by PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 29 APRIL 2025
LONDON, United Kingdom, 29 April 2025 – Vitale Productions Limited, Press – Daniel Cocklin, Essex-based head writer for Vitale Productions Ltd and a former Head of Year wrote a powerful fictional account of young person crime and abuse in “Head of House” a fictional drama proposed to Channel 4 in 2022 that was inspired by his own experiences working as a middle leader in the pastoral department of an East London school.
“The serious modern phenomena being faced in schools is now being presented well in ‘Adolescence’ that is deservedly receiving critical and public acclaim.”
“Head of House” was well received by Channel 4’s Lucy Haig and Chief Commissioner of Drama Rebecca Holdsworth following its submission. There was hope such a powerful mini-series would be commissioned for development by C4 in 2023.”
Daniel is relieved that the seeming same format such as ‘Adolescence’ was produced with its hard hitting and accurate portrayal of subjects such as knife crime, toxic masculinity and misogyny that have grown to epidemic proportions within groups of young males in modern Britain.
Daniel recalled that after watching Adolescence, friends asked him “Did you have to deal with those kind of things in the schools you worked in?” The answer unfortunately is “yes” which is why I wrote “Head of House”.
“Tragically, the situation has worsened to such a degree that it is right that the public has a beautifully crafted programme like Adolescence to finally learn the truth.”
Daniel’s thoughts have been echoed by teaching unions who last week spoke out publicly about the serious modern phenomena they’re facing in schools.
Daniel, a former educator, states “that now more than ever we need to hear the unique difficulty teenagers experience in this increasingly vacuous, digital society we live in where things such as knife crime is almost normalised.”
Daniel wrote episodes one through six of “Head of House”, adapted from the U.S. format, at his small bedroom desk during late nights knowing that his own life was filled with powerful reminders that inspired his storylines: “I have two former students in my cohort who are currently serving life sentences in prison for murder as well as two boys who’d attended another school I worked in that were stabbed to death, also on the East London, Essex borders where I worked for almost twenty years.”
“Now more than ever, we need a return to compelling ‘kitchen sink’ style dramas that Britain is known for and that are so well received all over the world to tell these stories so that adults can view the real challenges faced by our younger generation.”
While Channel 4 viewed “Head of House” with wonderfully positive coverage, “Adolescence” has fortunately actually been produced and is being seen by everyone to tell the story.”
Daniel is not sitting around waiting. He is busy preparing a series of summer workshops called “Difficult Conversations” for Essex teens wanting to share their experiences of teen life in modern Britain.
“Difficult Conversations are intended as a podcast series that showcases the problems teens, families and educators face. We are hoping to extend the initial set of four episodes that have already produced at a local school.”
Daniel is also busy writing for Vitale “PREPARING” a heartbreaking four part serial adapted from the original U.S. programme format that deals with the life decisions of a family in Britain that result in unexpected, different outcomes.
“Hopefully Channel 4 or another programme buyer in the U.K. will not miss the chance on “PREPARING” and its compelling story.
“Vitale has worked with a U.S. based sponsor for more than three years on “Head of House” and “Difficult Conversations” and is delighted to continue the relationship with “PREPARING”.
Daniel believes life in Essex is a touch stone for modern British story telling.
Daniel is head writer for Vitale Productions Ltd., a programme production company based in Essex.
About Vitale
Vitale, an Essex based production company, specialises in well crafted storytelling.
Vitale works with exceptional talent to create, develop and produce popular, innovative series.
Vitale Productions Limited (14413062) is a company registered in England and Wales.
Vitale is a member of PACT in the U.K.
About “Head of House” drama programme
6 x 43 min. Contemporary Scripted Drama-Comedy. Returning Series proposal
Quick Synopsis
A much loved and respected Head of Year mentor battles to manage an increasingly dysfunctional cohort of adolescents and often their troubled parents while questioning his life’s vocation and wavering spirituality.
Inspired by real life stories, “Head of House” aims to deliver the absorbing stories of a uniquely gifted educator who is unwilling to give up when dealing with thought-provoking situations directly relevant across post COVID-19 Britain.
For more information, please contact:
press@vitaleproductions.co.uk
enquiries@vitaleproductions.co.uk