Is Adolescence based on a true story? Inspiration for acclaimed Netflix drama explained

Graham stars as the boy's father, Eddie, who Jamie chooses as his appropriate adult.

While Eddie initially can't believe that Jamie could be guilty, as the series progresses it's revealed that the child was exposed to various misogynistic and toxic influences online.

The tough subject matter has sparked national debate amongst families, online and even within political spheres.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer even weighed in on the discussion recently, welcoming a move by Netflix to screen the series for free in secondary schools.

But is Jamie's story a true one? Read on for everything you need to know about the inspiration behind Adolescence.

Is Adolescence a true story? Inspiration behind drama explained

Adolescence isn't based on a single case, but the show's creators have said it was inspired by a series of disturbing real-life events and the growing knife crime epidemic in the UK.

"Where it came from, for me," explained Graham in a recent interview with Radio Times magazine, "is there was an incident in Liverpool, a young girl, and she was stabbed to death by a young boy. I just thought, why?

"Then there was another young girl in south London who was stabbed to death at a bus stop. And there was this thing up North, where that young girl Brianna Ghey was lured into the park by two teenagers, and they stabbed her. I just thought, what’s going on? What is this that’s happening?"

The actor also echoed those comments at a Next on Netflix event earlier this year.

"The idea came as – over the past 10 years or so – we’ve seen an epidemic of knife crime amongst young lads, up and down the country," he said.

"And for me, there were certain instances that really stuck out where young boys – and they are young boys, you know, they're not men – were killing young girls.

"When I mentioned it to Phil [Barantini, director], it just really hit me hard. I just thought, 'Why? What's going on? What's happening? Why is this the case?'"

Graham continued: "What's going on with our society as a whole, as a collective, and without being disrespectful, when these things are on the news – and we’re a couple of kids from council estates – but when these things are on the news, your judgement instantly goes to blaming the family, you blame the mum and dad.

"We’re all guilty of it, because that's the easy common denominator. I just thought, 'What if that's not the case at all?'"

So, while the series is not based on a specific true story, or even inspired by a particular incident, it seems the idea did come from a tragic series of events over recent years, which Graham and the team behind the show wanted to explore.

And yet, while the impact of Adolescence is undeniably important, Thorne is concerned about what the current funding crisis could mean for similar projects.

In an interview with Deadline, Thorne said that Netflix is "only part of the answer to the question of how we keep this stuff going", citing Adolescence and Toxic Town, which he also wrote.

He said: "If Channel 4 and the BBC are denied the opportunity to make these shows, that’s devastating. The problem of international finance and what that’s done is incredibly current and leading to a lot of my friends and emerging writers being denied the opportunity to tell stories.

"If they are denied the opportunity to tell those stories, then the whole culture starts to crumble, and shows like Adolescence and Toxic Town are no longer possible. Netflix making these shows is exciting, but it’s not everything."

Is Jamie Miller in Adolescence based on a real person? Misinformation debunked

No, Jamie Miller from Adolescence is not based on a single particular case or person and is an entirely fictional character.

Following on from some misinformation online about the basis of the hit Netflix series, writer Jack Thorne has firmly underlined that the series has no basis in any particular case in response to allegations of 'race-swapping' characters, telling The News Agents that there is "no part of this that's based on a true story, not one single part".

Thorne added of some detractors: "They've claimed that Stephen [Graham] and I based it on a story and so they're saying that we race swapped it, because we were basically here and then ended up there, and everything else, and nothing is further from the truth."

He also described the idea that such crimes as depicted in the show are only perpetrated by Black boys as "absurd", noting that "history shows a lot of cases of kids from all races committing these crimes".

Ultimately, the writer stressed that the chief issue being explored in the series is masculinity.

"We're not making a point about race with this, we are making a point about masculinity," commented Thorne. "We're trying to get inside a problem. We're not saying this is one thing or another. We're saying this is about boys."

Read more:

• Adolescence cast: Full list of actors and where you've seen them before
• Adolescence filming locations - where was the series filmed?
• Adolescence star Stephen Graham breaks down what it's like filming high-pressure, one-shot thriller
• Ashley Walters planned to quit acting after Top Boy – but Adolescence changed his mind
• Adolescence star Owen Cooper's audition tape for hit Netflix show has been released
• Adolescence makes ratings history – enormous viewing figures confirmed

Adolescence is now streaming on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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