Joakim Lundell's Gripping Documentary Series

Joakim Lundell is one of Sweden's most written-about media personalities, with a career spanning from award-winning Youtuber to successful film producer. He has received awards such as Kristallen and Guldbaggen, and his influence over young people is significant. Now he is opening up about his tough upbringing in the exclusive documentary series Joakim – ett övergivet barn, available to watch on TV4 Play.

– It has many times been difficult to make this documentary, because I have had to relive things I have long avoided thinking about. I haven't wanted to watch it myself during production, says Joakim Lundell.

Joakim's life journey is a story of struggle and success. From foster care and homelessness to becoming one of Sweden's most influential influencers and film producers. Today he has a family with his wife Jonna and their two children, a successful career and a beautiful home. On the surface everything looks perfect – but he carries a past that still affects him deeply.

When Joakim was eight years old, he was taken from his biological family and never allowed to return. According to social services' case notes, he was assessed to be an abandoned child because neither of his parents was deemed capable of taking care of him. The painful feeling of being rejected and cast aside has haunted him throughout his life – and now he wants to finally understand why.

In the documentary we follow Joakim's attempt to process his past through therapy and meetings with people from his childhood. He revisits his foster parents, confronts his father and goes through the social services' case notes together with his psychologist. His brother Jakob also reads these documents for the first time.

– People have speculated about my life for many years. I have long wanted to make a reckoning where an independent party gets to examine everything. When the question about this documentary came up I thought: Okay, do what you need to do. Meet everyone you want, ask whatever you want, and read my social papers. You have free access to my entire story, says Joakim Lundell.

– This documentary provides a unique insight into the childhood of one of Sweden's biggest influencers. Joakim Lundell is one of Sweden's major media power holders when it comes to influencing young people. Here he shows that despite a tough start in life, he never gave up. It is a strong and emotional story about coming to terms with your past in order to move forward, says Catrin Magnusson, executive producer at TV4.

Watch the documentary Joakim – ett övergivet barn exclusively on TV4 Play.