BBC Factual has revealed the six individuals who will be interviewed by acclaimed journalist and broadcaster Louis Theroux for the second series of “Louis Theroux Interviews.” The lineup includes prominent figures from the realms of sports, entertainment, and global affairs.
Spanning various locations such as New York City, Normandy, Glastonbury, and the French Riviera, this upcoming series promises to offer viewers an unprecedented insight into some of the world’s most recognisable personalities, marking Louis’s most diverse array of guests yet.
The list of interviewees comprises:
Two-time world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua.
Actor and producer, Ashley Walters.
Whistleblower and activist, Chelsea Manning.
Hollywood icon, Dame Joan Collins.
Artist and musician, Pete Doherty.
Singer-songwriter, Raye.
Each of the six documentaries, employing Louis’s distinctive immersive filming style, will delve into the lives and careers of these subjects up until the present day, including pivotal moments in their journeys. The second series, produced by Mindhouse Productions (co-founded by Theroux), is scheduled to be broadcast on both BBC Two and BBC iPlayer later this year.
In detail:
Anthony Joshua
Louis engages in a face-to-face encounter with two-time world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, at his local boxing gym in North London. Amidst the backdrop of AJ’s clash with American boxer Jermaine Franklin, Louis delves into his triumphs, setbacks, and the driving force behind his athletic pursuits. The two also spend time in the Watford estate where AJ was raised.
Ashley Walters
In the coastal town of Herne Bay in Kent, Louis meets Top Boy actor and former So Solid Crew rapper Ashley Walters. Ashley shares with Louis the story of his upbringing in Peckham, recounting encounters with law enforcement, his transition from music to acting, and life by the sea with his partner and children.
Chelsea Manning
Louis travels to New York City to gain insight into the mind of one of America’s most polarising figures: the renowned whistleblower and activist Chelsea Manning. Manning, a U.S. Army intelligence analyst, garnered attention in 2010 for releasing the largest set of classified documents in U.S. history. She subsequently faced a 35-year sentence in a military prison. Branded a traitor by some and a hero by others, Chelsea opens up about the motivations behind her decision to make the documents public, and shares details about her current life as a DJ and public speaker.
Joan Collins
Louis journeys to the French Riviera to meet Dame Joan Collins, an icon of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Welcomed into her holiday home near St Tropez, Louis and Dame Joan discuss the highs and lows of her multi-decade career, including her standout roles in The Stud and as Alexis in Dynasty. Louis also accompanies Dame Joan and her husband of over two decades, Percy Gibson, for a night on the town.
Pete Doherty
Louis meets the infamous frontman of Libertines and Babyshambles, Pete Doherty, in Normandy, where he now resides with his wife and baby daughter. The conversation spans topics such as music, substance use, and Pete’s aspirations for a brighter future following a tumultuous career. Louis also joins Pete on tour with the rest of the Libertines and spends backstage time at Secret Garden Party in Cambridgeshire.
Raye
In South London, Louis encounters the newly independent singer and songwriter, Raye. In a pivotal year marked by her Ivor Novello win and Mercury Music Prize nomination, Louis and Raye unpack her journey from splitting from her record label to achieving a number one single, ‘Escapism’, and the newfound artistic freedom she enjoys. Louis also takes to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury to witness the 25-year-old musician as she embarks on this new chapter with one of her most significant performances to date.
Louis Theroux says: “Working with the team on these six new programmes has been an enormous pleasure. The six guests are all distinctive and brilliant in different ways, all of them people who have endured setbacks and huge successes, and who have something to share with the world based on their journeys through life. We have tried to build on the success of the first six Louis Theroux Interviews, while pushing further this time into terrain that is gritty and difficult, exploring subjects like mental health, brushes with the law, and political controversy.
“Like the first six Louis Theroux Interviews, each show mixes stylish master interviews with behind-the-scenes moments and actuality shot on location, so viewers have the double pleasure of a thoughtful in-depth conversation alongside a revealing look into the lives of the contributors: in the locker room post-fight with Anthony Joshua, Raye’s dressing room before her Glastonbury set, Joan Collins’ house in the south of France. The tone of the shows is always open-minded and generous-hearted, while hopefully being funny, and always mindful of the need to keep viewers interested. I like them, and I’m notoriously hard to please.”
Clare Sillery, BBC Head of Commissioning, Documentaries, says: “I am delighted that Louis is back with such an exciting and eclectic mix of new interviewees. Louis’s genuine curiosity and warmth mean that each of these meetings will bring us something very new and different and I can’t wait to see him take us deeper into the worlds of these hugely engaging cultural figures.”
The first series saw Louis up close and personal with some of the UK’s biggest stars: Stormzy; Dame Judi Dench; Yungblud; Bear Grylls; Katherine Ryan; and Rita Ora, with an average audience of more than 2.1m tuning in* (*Consolidated viewing figures for the first four episodes) in the first 7 days.
“Louis Theroux Interviews,” a 6×45’ series from Mindhouse Productions for BBC Two and iPlayer, was commissioned by Clare Sillery, Head of Commissioning, Documentaries. The Executive Producers are Arron Fellows and Emma Whitehead. The Series Producer is Alex Kohler and the Production Executive is Suzy Burnet. The Commissioning Editors are Max Gogarty and Fran Baker. Global sales will be handled by BBC Studios Distribution.
