Andre told the JC: “I felt compelled to be a part of it. Seeing Josh in that position really hit home because it could have been my nephew, it could have been my son. It was one of the most hard-hitting things I've ever done, so much so that I just asked the camera man to start filming immediately because I felt straightaway the emotions were real.
“Cyberbullying is so terrible. We see teenage suicide on the rise, we see bullying constantly in schools. What we're trying to do is get this [video] into schools so that schools and the government feel compelled to put measures in place. It not only gives the people who are going through the bullying hope that they can be heard, and this can stop, but it also gives the bullies a deterrent.”
Following the screening, Mr Janin will be joined by Andre and D’Andrea to answer questions from the students present, who are aged 16 to 24.
Peter Andre said playing the role of Jack was "one of the most hard-hitting things" he had ever done (Photo: still from Fabio D'Andrea's video 'Another Way')[Missing Credit]
D’Andrea had been unaware of Mia’s case when he released the video around the time the north London teenager’s inquest took place.
He said: “What struck me about Mia’s case is the shocking similarities between her and Josh. I've created this imaginary story based on what could happen, and now I've met the father of a daughter who's gone through the exact same situation. That’s been quite overwhelming.
“We're in a cyberbullying pandemic. We are in uncharted territory, and we're just starting to see the impact and how this affects society. The online world has taken away some of our barriers, so people will say stuff they would probably never say to somebody's face. It's so important to educate children about this.”
While the video is upsetting, it also offers hope and encourages families to notice the warning signs and talk, he said.
[Missing Credit]Peter Andre is in a new anti-bullying video, Another Way, as the father of a teenager who attempts to take his own life
D’Andrea and the AP Foundation plan to take the programme into more schools and are working alongside Mr Janin to lobby for a change in the law that makes cyber bullies accountable — just as “Coco's Law” made online bullying a criminal offence in Ireland in 2021. Coco was 21 when she took her own life following vicious online bullying.
D’Andrea said: “This is the ideal time for the UK to adopt a similar law because the situation is intensifying. Bullies are doing stuff physically, as they always have done, but now the difference is everything's captured on a phone. Not only does a child who’s been bullied have to go through the trauma, but they’re now reliving it constantly. We shouldn't tolerate this anymore. A law change is the only way to make people realise they're going to be held accountable for their actions.”
