Louis Theroux's current three-part documentary series, Dark States, explores some of the most devastating challenges affecting the US: sex trafficking, heroin addiction and murder. Now, the UK's favourite documentary maker is set to return to Britain for another new documentary later this month, this time on eating disorders.
In Louis Theroux: Talking to Anorexia, he'll wander around St Ann’s Hospital and Vincent Square Clinic, two of London’s biggest adult eating-disorder treatment facilities, and meet patients of all ages and at various stages of the illness, according to the BBC's press release.
It will follow the in-patients as they go about their daily routine of scheduled eating, weigh-ins and group therapy sessions. Theroux will also spend time with some of them off the wards, where together they'll discuss the devastating impact of the illness on their lives.
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Anorexia is the deadliest mental illness in the UK, with 20% of sufferers dying prematurely from their illness. It affects one in 250 women at some point in their lives. Eating disorders have been portrayed with varying levels of success in film and TV this year. Netflix came under fire for its comedy drama about anorexia featuring Lily Collins, To The Bone, which many claimed trivialised and glamorised the disorder and could be triggering.
By contrast, the BBC Three miniseries Overshadowed, about a vlogger with anorexia, was praised for its thoughtfulness. A recent BBC Three documentary on diabulimia was also applauded for raising awareness of the deadly consequences when those with type 1 diabetes deliberately limit the amount of insulin they inject into their bodies in order to lose weight.
Watch Louis Theroux: Talking to Anorexia at 9pm on 29th October on BBC Two or catch it on iPlayer.
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