Welsh-language broadcaster S4C has cancelled a planned three-part drama about a paedophile head teacher after deciding that proceeding with the programme would "not be appropriate".

Neil Foden, the former head of Ysgol Friars in Bangor, was jailed for 17 years in 2024 after being found guilty of 19 charges involving four girls.

The drama, titled Y Pennaeth (The Head Teacher) was set to be broadcast in 2027 with actor Mark Lewis Jones to portray Foden.

But on Wednesday, the channel announced the project's cancellation and apologised "for the distress this has caused".

It had previously been described by S4C as "an important and shocking story about how one man in a position of trust and power betrayed his status".

The broadcaster said the programme, written by Llinos Gerallt and produced by Mojo Productions, would be "developed with great care and sensitivity" with production understood to be well underway.

They added that survivors involved in the court case had been "made aware of the project".

Foden, who was head of one Gwynedd school and strategic head of another, was convicted of 19 charges in total which included 12 counts of sexual activity with a child and two counts of sexual activity with a child while he was in a position of trust.

Sentencing him at Mold Crown Court, Judge Rhys Rowlands said he was "depraved", "arrogant" and a "bully".

A subsequent Child Practice Review found he was a "prolific sex offender who harmed many children".

The announcement of the drama in August attracted criticism, with some taking to social media to describe S4C's decision to commission the drama as a "disgrace".

Helen Mary Jones, a former Plaid Cymru Member of Senedd and an independent child protection expert, said she was pleased that S4C had "changed their minds".

Speaking on BBC Radio Cymru's news programme Post Prynhawn, she said: "I thought that it wasn't appropriate at all to make a TV programme that placed someone like him at the centre.

"The fact that they chose the name (Y Pennaeth) for the programme felt totally wrong."

Jones said that it might be worth telling the story some time, but thought that it should be called 'Y Merched' (The Girls) as opposed to Y Pennaeth and concentrate on their bravery in going through the process of the court and inquiry.

Announcing the cancellation, S4C said in a statement that it "would not be appropriate" to proceed with the production, adding that the "wellbeing of those affected by these events comes first".

"S4C has an important role in telling stories that shine a light on matters of public interest," the broadcaster said.

"However, following careful consideration, we have concluded that it would not be appropriate to proceed with the drama series provisionally titled Y Pennaeth," it added.

"This is S4C's decision, and we apologise for the distress this has caused.

"Out of respect for the privacy of those affected, we will not be commenting further."