Sam Fender has reunited with Adolescence director Philip Barantini for a video starring Owen Cooper - the young star of the acclaimed Netflix drama.

The video for Little Bit Closer follows Cooper and a group of friends on a camping trip in the Lake District, where Cooper’s character quietly contemplates questions of faith. It’s a beautifully-shot short film that broadly plays on the original themes expressed within the song’s lyrics.

The film is largely a character piece, so viewers may speculate on why the boy's emotions bubble to the surface in moments away from his friends. Essentially Barantini has focussed upon another, less sensational but entirely relatable aspect of growing up: the move from childhood to youth, when you may start to consider your actual existence.  

Fender previously worked with Barantini back in 2021, working alongside him and fellow Adolescence star and co-writer Stephen Graham for the UKMVA-winning video for Spit Of You. That was very powerful and in a quite different way, so is this.

"It’s so great to be working with Phil [Barantini] again," Sam Fender has commented. "I had no doubt he was the right director for this piece - his video for Spit of You was my favourite.

"Phil called to say he’d asked Owen if he’d like to be in the video, and that Owen was keen. I was elated that he could do it after seeing his incredible performance in Adolescence. Alongside Semera Khan [Creative Director] and the rest of the cast and team, they have created something beautiful.”

Philip Barantini adds: “To have the opportunity to direct another video for Sam was an immediate 'yes' - an absolute no-brainer for me! Not only is Sam an incredible artist but he’s a beautiful human and a great friend! Also, the opportunity to direct Owen again so soon after Adolescence was an absolute joy!"