In an exclusive with The Independent, Louis Theroux has revealed the three major topics he’ll be delving into in a brand new film series for the BBC and, contrary to reports, he won’t be focusing on President Donald Trump’s rise to power.
Credit: BBC
Instead, Theroux will be looking at some of the biggest challenges America faces right now, breaking it down into murder, sex trafficking and opiate dependency.
He explained: “I immerse myself in some of the most dysfunctional and disturbing aspects of American society. They combine hard-hitting actuality with intimate interviews.
“I have been granted access to the police in several states; I’ve got to know the people affected by crime; and I’ve also spent time with the perpetrators of crime, with the idea of understanding the causes of it, both on a systemic level and also in a very personal way.”
The three documentaries will be called Murder in Milwaukee, Sex Trafficking Houston and Opiate City, and are expected to debut at some point this year.
The first will see Theroux spend time in one of America’s most impoverished cities during a time of huge tensions between the African-American community and the authorities, following two police shootings. Theroux met with both the Milwaukee Police Department and with families and local activists to gain a rounded idea of what is being faced in the area.
Sex Trafficking Houston meanwhile will see the journalist look at the place which is regarded as the biggest hub for human trafficking in North America. Theroux here interviews those working within the industry, to explore the relationships shared between prostitutes and their pimps. Law enforcement will also play a part in the show, as Theroux discovers the justice system stuck between helping women in the lifestyle while also criminalising them.
The final film investigates prescription painkillers and how an oversubscription crisis in the country has led to a population that’s now dependent on opiates and, in particular, heroin. It isn’t Theroux’s first look into a world plagued by drugs, so the journalist has a huge handle on the topic already, but will again be interviewing those closest to it.
Patrick Holland, BBC Two’s Channel Editor commented: “This is so exciting. It is always a real event to have a new series from Louis on BBC Two. This trilogy promises to be hugely timely and challenging, it has never been more important to engage with the forces shaping moder America.”
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