Wrexham producer Nia Ceidiog creates new TV drama

The new S4C drama, Bex, highlights how youngsters can be affected by all kinds of real-life mental health and wellbeing issues and how talking about them can be a big help.

Among the difficulties featured are a young boy whose sister has died of leukaemia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Panic Attacks, Body Dysmorphic Disorder and a phobia of vomiting.

The series was devised by BAFTA Wales winner Nia Ceidiog, a former pupil of Ysgol Morgan Llwyd in Wrexham, and was brought up in Wrexham, Bwlchgwyn and Coedpoeth.

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Her long list of credits includes writing the original version of the Fireman Sam series in both English and Welsh.

Bex consists of eight 20-minute episodes of the programme with the first being broadcast at 6.30 pm on S4C on Tuesday, March 22.

Rebecca Hayes as Bex

Rebecca Hayes, a West End actor who’s currently appearing in a stage version of the classic American novel, To Kill a Mocking Bird, at the Gielgud Theatre in London, plays the title role, Bex.

She said: "This is the first show I've done for children. The reason I did it is if I had had a programme like this when I was growing up dealing with the whole load of things I've had to deal with in my life and the lives of my friends I would have loved it.

"It's shown me it's not something to be afraid of or keep quiet about. I've learned things I didn't know much about as well and could have helped me recognise the issues in others. It's important for young people to see that things like panic attacks, anxiety, phobias and such do happen and it's possible to live with these issues."

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She said mental health issues among children and young people was one of the major issues that emerged during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Bex, explained Rebecca, is a special person who appears to children who need her help in the series

"She visits a number of children who are suffering from various issues related to their mental health and encourages them to talk to her and to others," said Rebecca.

Nia Ceidiog said Rebecca gives a masterful performance as Bex.

Nia Williams (Image: Supplied)

"We saw a lot of actors for the part and Rebecca was excellent. Her performance is understated but strong and very realistic. The children who are in the show thought she was very cool," she said.

The programme is aimed at children aged eight to twelve years. Nia hopes parents will watch Bex with their children providing them with an opportunity to open up discussion on mental health topics.

Nel Williams as Casi and Iwan Charles as her father, Alan Plwg

"The programme will be shown at 6.30 pm, a little later than the normal children's programming time on S4C and it's a time when families normally sit down to watch television.

"We have had experts and specialists behind us all the way through the making of this programme advising us about the issues portrayed in the programmes. The fictional dramas are challenging but realistic and the conditions portrayed are serious but BEX brings hope.

“The children go through a lot, but we've done that with help from the experts, we don't want to trigger anything in anyone but we have tried to be honest," she said.

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Nia's production company, Ceidiog, which has won BAFTA awards for other pioneering children's television programmes, has been provided with support from the Welsh Government to provide educational resources to accompany the series. She said health and well-being are key parts of the new school curriculum in Wales.

There will be a podcast with children talking about their experiences, and a special section for teachers only, offering webinars and so on, as well as a welfare section for them on how to deal with their own lives helping them to be more able to help children with serious problems.

Sioned Geraint, S4C's Commissioner for Children and Learners, said: "This series is ground-breaking in the way it deals with children's mental health, and it is hoped that it will open the door for family discussion about mental health, which is such an important thing. It's a pleasure to see talented young actors, most of them new faces to the screen, staring."

Bex is on S4C on Tuesday from March 22 at 6.30 pm on S4C. English and Welsh subtitles are available. The programme is also available on-demand at S4C Clic, BBC iPlayer and other platforms.