Channel 4 is hosting a special event in London of Big Boys on 13 March 2025 for University Mental Health Day, working with suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) and student mental health charity Student Minds to raise awareness of the support available to students across the UK.
The special screening and Q&A will centre around the themes raised in the final episodes of the series of the critically acclaimed hit comedy Big Boys and will signpost resources available with the aim of improving the statistic from Student Mind’s 2023 research that 1 in 4 students would not know where to get mental health support at their university if they needed it.
Following the screening of the final two episodes from the series, BAFTA-winning writer and creator Jack Rooke will be joined by actors Jon Pointing (Danny) and Katy Wix (Jules), moderated by award-winning broadcaster Clara Amfo, to discuss the issues in the final episodes and Jack’s ongoing work as a CALM ambassador. This will be followed by a Q&A with Dr Dom Thompson, multi-award-winning GP, young person’s mental health expert and Clinical Advisor to NICE and Student Minds; a student ambassador; and Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM. The conversation will discuss resources, CALM’s C.A.R.E Kit, and Student Mind’s support available to students on Student Space.
Produced by Roughcut TV, Big Boys returned for its third and final series in February 2024 and is available to stream on Channel 4. This series sees our gang (Jack, Danny, Corinne, and Yemi) enter their final year at Brent Uni, with all the ups and downs of dissertations, deadlines, dating and the devastating departure of Louis Walsh from The X-Factor (for Jack anyway!). Peggy and Shannon embark on new romances and never-ending nappy changes, whilst Jack and Danny’s friendship is tested to its limits as they realise proper adult life is coming. Will the boys still choose each other like before, or will this be the end of the road?
Jack Rooke, writer and creator, said: “I was first affected by a suicide 10 years ago this March. I know all too well how painful it is to live in the injustice of it, with the internal rigmarole of what-ifs and the low-level feelings of guilt that affect those bereaved. And it has been my ambition for a decade now to try and write something about suicide which is somehow comforting, funny and optimistic for those left behind. I truly hope our finale of Big Boys does that, and in collaboration with CALM and Student Minds, we want to create a space to discuss how we best support those who are supporting someone else. That’s vital for me, and I’m honoured Channel 4 can help put a spotlight on the organisations and charities who are actually making it better and encouraging those struggling to wait and see how life can be different and how life will always be the better choice.”
Jack (Dylan Llewellyn) and Danny (Jon Pointing)
Charlie Perkins, Head of Comedy, Channel 4, comments: “Big Boys is a beautiful example of the power comedy has to connect with people and spark conversations around topics we sometimes find hard to talk about. It feels additionally powerful to be working with CALM, Student Minds, and Jack on this event to raise awareness around the support that’s available and encourage people to make mental health a priority.”
Simon Gunning, CEO of Campaign Against Living Miserably, said: “It’s been a privilege to have Jack in the CALM family for over a decade as an Ambassador. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen suicide portrayed as well before – it’s one of the most human, compelling and responsible portrayals of a subject so mired in stigma to ever reach our screens. At CALM, everything we do is aimed at tackling the stigma around suicide because we know talking about it really does save lives. I’ve no doubt that the impact of Big Boys on people struggling, and everyone who has the power to help those struggling, is about as far-reaching and important as it gets. The final episode of Big Boys shows so clearly that the future CAN be better than the present, and there’s always a reason to stay.”
Rosie Tressler OBE, CEO of Student Minds, said: “University life can be hard. Many students will experience challenges and changes to their mental health, but we know that often, they don’t know where to go to find support. At Student Minds, we are working hard to change this. It is great to see the experiences of university students demonstrated in such a real and powerful way in Big Boys. With almost 3 million students in the UK, we need to see more media reflecting this. The themes and experiences highlighted – from making friends, coming out, managing grief and meeting the challenge of life after university – mirror the experience for students right now. Jack writes the show with humour but also manages to demonstrate some difficult topics such as suicide, grief and coming out beautifully.
The series finale also reminds us that support from staff, students and mental health services can help people to recover, even when they may feel hopeless. We want to remind students that help is available – please reach out to your university, a friend or someone you trust if things are feeling too hard. We also share tips, videos and support on Student Space to help you navigate the uncertainty and challenges of university life. You don’t have to struggle alone.”
For support and advice related to mental health, visit Student Minds or CALM.
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