Community · United Kingdom
Online safety parents honoured at Pride of Britain 2026
Why were Ian Russell, Esther Ghey and Ellen Roome given a Pride of Britain award?
Ian Russell MBE, Esther Ghey and Ellen Roome MBE received a Special Recognition award at the 2026 Pride of Britain Awards. Each lost a teenage child and then campaigned to protect children online. Ian Russell's work helped the Online Safety Act pass, and Esther Ghey's project has helped schools restrict smartphones.
What happened?
Three bereaved parents received a joint Special Recognition award at the 2026 Pride of Britain Awards. Each lost a teenage child. Each then campaigned, separately, to make the internet safer for children.
Who are the parents?
Ian Russell MBE. His daughter Molly died in November 2017, aged 14. An inquest found that harmful content about depression and self-harm on social media played a role in her death. Through the Molly Rose Foundation, Russell lobbied for change. Pride of Britain says his work helped pass the Online Safety Act. It also helped make online offences involving self-harm “priority offences” under the law.
“If it can happen to our family then it could happen to anybody,” he said.
Esther Ghey. Her daughter Brianna, 16, was murdered in February 2023 by teenagers who had consumed extreme violent content online. Ghey set up the Brianna Ghey Legacy Project. It helps children and families build healthy habits for mental health and online safety. Pride of Britain credits her work with helping schools restrict smartphones.
“As soon as Brianna was connected to her phone, I felt like I lost her,” she said.
Ellen Roome MBE. Her son Julian, known as Jools, was found unresponsive in his bedroom in April 2022, aged 14. The cause of his death is not known, and his mother suspects a link to harmful social media. She campaigns for “Jools’ Law”. It would require technology companies to freeze and keep a child’s online data after a death. She also supports the Raise The Age campaign, which wants to stop under-16s using harmful social media.
“I’m just a mum who stood up and said ‘This is wrong’,” she said.
Why does it matter?
The Online Safety Act places legal duties on online platforms to protect users, especially children. Ofcom enforces it. All three parents turned private grief into public campaigns that have shaped how the UK protects children online.
Where to get support
If you are struggling, you can call Samaritans free on 116 123 in the UK and Ireland, at any time. In an emergency, call 999.
See every 2026 Pride of Britain winner and regional finalist.
Sources & reporting notes
We checked the Pride of Britain winner page and Yahoo News UK's list of 2026 winners, published on 19 October 2026. Pride of Britain describes Jools' Law as a campaign aim; we do not describe it as passed law. We follow Samaritans' guidance for reporting on suicide and self-harm.
- Pride of Britain Awards · Ellen Roome, Esther Ghey and Ian Russell
Official profile of the three parents, their children and their campaigns.
- Yahoo News UK · 19 October 2026
Full list of 2026 winners, including a comment from Ofcom's chief executive.
Have a correction or a confirmed update? Contact our editorial team.
Common questions
- What is Jools' Law?
- It is a proposal Ellen Roome campaigns for. It would require technology companies to freeze and keep a child's online data after the child dies, so that families can find out what happened.
- What is the Brianna Ghey Legacy Project?
- Esther Ghey set it up after her daughter's death. It helps children and families build habits that support mental health and safety online.
