Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett has announced plans to produce a TV documentary about the growing crisis facing boys and young men.
The 32-year-old says he’s not been able to stop thinking about a report called ‘Lost Boys’ by The Centre For Social Justice and feels he has to do something.
“We are losing a generation of young boys,” he said. “It may not be popular to say, but boys and men need help.
“I’m hoping to produce a documentary about this for TV / streaming sites, alongside several friends of mine / former podcast guests.”
The host of the Diary of a CEO podcast appealed for teachers, parents, care workers and therapists to share their experiences.
Andy Cook, chief executive of the Centre for Social Justice, said the Lost Boys report highlights the size of the problem and described Andrew Tate and other online influencers as ‘the symptoms, not the cause’.
The report found:
- Since the pandemic the number of males aged 16-24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) has increased 40% compared to 7% of females;
- Boys are twice as likely to be excluded from schools than girls;
- 5 million children in the UK have no father figure at home;
- One in four boys in Year 6 is obese; and
- Young men who are in work are now out-earned by their female peers;
Cook said “What we have uncovered is stark. Boys are struggling in education, more likely to take their own lives, less likely to get into stable work, and far more likely to be caught up in crime. The numbers don’t lie – something has shifted, and we cannot ignore it any longer.
“It’s not just about Andrew Tate or online influencers; they are the symptoms, not the cause. The deeper truth is that too many boys are growing up without the guidance, discipline, and purpose they need to thrive.
“But let me be clear – this is not a message of despair. Boys and young men have enormous potential. They always have, and they always will. We must stop seeing masculinity as a problem to be solved and start seeing it as a strength to be nurtured.
“Strength, resilience, responsibility – these are not traits to be suppressed but harnessed for good. This report, Lost Boys, is not just an exploration of the challenges young men face but the beginning of a journey to offer a hopeful, positive vision for masculinity in Britain.
“We need strong fathers, mentors, and role models. We need a culture that values the unique contributions of men and supports boys to grow into good, responsible adults.
“This is just the first step, but it’s an important one. It sets the scene for the next stage of our work where we will begin to offer solutions to the challenges outlined below. We must be willing to listen, to act, and to restore hope for the next generation. Because when boys thrive, our whole society benefits.”
The report’s authors have stressed that the report does not mean girls and women don’t have struggles too.
“To be pro-men is not to be anti-women,” said the report. “This is not a zero-sum game. A generation of unhappy and angry men is a disaster for both the sexes. We believe that we can champion and promote men’s issues to the benefit of everyone across the UK.
“And we must recognise that far more attention has been given in recent years to issues affecting women and girls. Lost Boys’ is an attempt to address the imbalance.”