Students from Weydon School have shared their experiences after appearing on ITV’s This Morning alongside Farnham neuroscientist TJ Power.

They joined TJ on the famous sofa to discuss helping young people reduce screen time, speaking with hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary.

On the ITV1 show, TJ explained how his techniques can reduce children’s daily screen use from eight hours to just two. With a quarter of children aged 5 to 7 now owning a smartphone, and teens averaging 7.5 hours a day, he warned of a growing crisis in youth mental health.

Toby, a Year 12 student at the Farnham secondary school, said: “The whole experience was amazing – the studio had a great feel to it. It was definitely nerve-wracking just before going on, but once I sat down I felt surprisingly confident to talk; Alison and Dermot made it very relaxed and calming.”

He added that TJ’s methods had a significant impact on him, “from me being more academically focused, to just overall increased happiness – mainly from my reduction in screen time.”

Another student, Olivia, from Year 10, said: “I’m so grateful to have been part of this movement towards changing screen time habits for teenagers. It was exciting to be in ITV’s studio with Dermot, Alison and TJ on a live show. I’m hoping that my contribution can help other families find a better balance between being on and offline.”

Marie, a Year 9 student, said: “Being on national television is an experience I will never forget.” She recalled arriving at the “talent door” and being warmly welcomed by Dermot O’Leary, who offered kind words of encouragement.

“In the Green Room before we went on set, TJ and Georgia did breathing exercises with us to help with our nerves, but as soon as we sat down on the sofa with Dermot and Alison all the nerves went away and it was as if you were having a friendly conversation,” she added.

She said TJ’s workshops made her “realise the dangers of spending too much time on my phone; so now I phone fast an hour before I go to bed and an hour after I get up so I can get ready for the day.”

This and other techniques had “helped me limit my own screen time and reduce my social media daily hours by 50 percent.”

TJ Power, a Sunday Times bestselling author of The DOSE Effect, says excessive phone use is fuelling depression, anxiety, and anger among teens. On the show, he offered practical tips for parents, while students shared how their screen time had dropped significantly thanks to his approach.

TJ said: “I absolutely loved the experience, I felt so proud of the students watching them manage the nerves of TV and share so passionately about the progress they are making with their phones and their brain chemistry.”

The hosts also heard how TJ’s workshops had improved students’ wellbeing and reduced their reliance on smartphones.

TJ has been running his DOSE workshops at Weydon School for several years, reaching more than 2,300 students. In his book, he shares how he overcame addiction and transformed his life through the science of four key brain chemicals.

As national conversations about digital overload continue, TJ explained how constant phone use overstimulates the brain and creates a cycle of dependency.

Thanks to his workshops, Weydon students have adopted practical strategies and openly discussed how excessive screen use was affecting their focus, mood, and mental health.