MURDER GONE VIRAL: TIKTOK SERIES RETURNS TO ITV FOR SECOND RUN

A Nine Lives Media production for ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player, TikTok: Murder Gone Viral launched in 2024 and is one of ITV’s highest rated documentaries.

This must-watch true crime brand returns for a second series later this year and continues with more compelling murder cases, each of which went viral on the global social media app TikTok.  

Series two tells the stories of the killings of young British amateur footballer, Charlie Cosser and American 13-year-old cheerleader, Tristyn Bailey among others.

TikTok, one of the world’s fastest growing social media platforms, captures the responses of social media users’ and the victims’ families’ to each of these teenage murders at every stage of their case.

In Charlie Cosser’s case, TikTok was the platform his father Martin used to pour out his grief in real time and American cheerleader, Tristyn Bailey used the popular app to share her cheerleading dance routines, as well as the means through which many shared their own grief and followed the investigation.

Series two of TikTok: Murder Gone Viral is also timely because the UK is currently experiencing an increase in younger people being affected by knife crimes, and in this series each case is about a fatal stabbing with each of the murderers, as well as their victims, being teenagers.  

The documentaries explore the motivations behind each of these cases, asking why these frighteningly young perpetrators chose to kill.  

But there is some hope. In each of these cases, the parents of the teenage victims are turning their terrible pain into positive action by campaigning in different ways to prevent similar crimes in the future. Each wants to stop others from suffering in the way that they and their children have been forced to.

TikTok: Murder Gone Viral, series two was commissioned by Jo Clinton-Davis, Controller of Factual ITV and Sue Murphy, Head of Factual Entertainment ITV. For Nine Lives Media the Executive Producers are Cat Lewis and Jazz Gowans, the Series Producer is Katie Boyd and the Producer/Director is Robin Anderson. 

Jo Clinton-Davis, Controller of Factual ITV said: “The murders in this series are all about very young victims tragically killed by their peers. Most were active on TikTok and through this prism we also see how the platform has impacted a murder case from its use by armchair detectives, to generating worldwide discussion, to acting as an emotional outlet. 

“But above all, each is an individual story of heartbreak and a testament to the victims' family and friends who have been determined to share their stories with a wider public, and find ways to bring an end to the senselessness of child on child murder.”

Cat Lewis & Jazz Gowans, Executive Producers Nine Lives Media said: “It has been a real privilege to work closely with the families of young murder victims, each of whom were taken far too early but each had already made a big, positive impact on the world, and especially on their families and friends. They will never be forgotten." 

TikTok: Murder Gone Viral is distributed internationally by ITV Studios.