Louis Theroux says being a dad is harder than any of his documentaries
HE’S faced Nazis, prisoners and paedophiles — but Louis Theroux says his most daunting assignment was being a dad.
In a rare chat about his personal life, the ace documentary maker revealed how demanding he found parenthood.
Louis said: “There’s probably a handful of people who don’t struggle at all.
“But for the majority, it’s painful and difficult at best. At worst, it’s life-changing, difficult and traumatic.
Neither my wife or myself needed psychiatric help but you become aware the normal experience of new parenthood is massively stressful.
“I’d run out of the house to work feeling like I’d escaped a burning building. Or go off to America for ten days or two weeks and think, ‘Wow — this is like a holiday’.
After our second son was born, I was in Philadelphia doing a story on high crime areas and I remember thinking, ‘This is so much more relaxing! You get to sleep eight hours a night’.
“It wasn’t like I couldn’t wait to see the back of my family — it’s just that you get a break.”
Louis’ latest doc, Mothers On The Edge, airs on BBC2 at 9pm on Sunday. It follows new mums who suffer psychosis after giving birth. And his next target could be his most ambitious yet.
Louis said: “A really interesting story would be Melania Trump. Could she have known what she was signing on for?”
He even had kind words about Piers Morgan, saying: “He’ll call bulls***. He’s done crime and prison stories in America and I always quite enjoy them.”
Piers’ number of allies just doubled.
Ranj: I'd pick Ant
The question on every Strictly fan’s mind right now is who is going to replace Darcey Bussell as judge.
Star of the most recent series Dr Ranj Singh knows who he thinks should replace the ballet legend – Anton Du Beke.
But he fears the BBC’s box- ticking will get in the way.
Speaking at oriental cuisine bash The Golden Chopsticks Awards in London, Ranj said: “It has to be someone with credentials.
“Anton is incredibly qualified to do the job but three men and one woman on the panel might be a gender imbalance. It would be nice if it was another lady.”
It should be the best person for the job – man or woman.
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WHAT? The All New Monty: Who Bares Wins, ITV, 9pm.
WHY? Alexander Armstrong and Ashley Banjo and join another group of male celebs as they recreate the striptease from The Full Monty to raise awareness of cancer.
Mother of all themes
Mum star Lesley Manville thinks Hollywood could learn from the sitcom’s focus on an ordinary middle-aged couple falling in love.
At the launch of the third and final series of the BBC2 sitcom, Lesley – Oscar nominated for Phantom Thread last year – said: “This isn’t dealt with very much in telly and films.
“In Hollywood, it’s all, ‘Aren’t they still sexy at 50 or 60?’. It’s all glamorous, they’ve all still got to look great. But this is real and normal.”
Her co-star Peter Mullan admits he was in a daze when he started filming the comedy in 2016 as it was so tranquil.
He said: “I kept asking, ‘When do I get to cut her head off?’ That’s normally what I do. I’m lost without bloodshed.”
The new series kicks off later this month, and Mum could well have been in the news again by then – it’s up for four gongs at this Sunday’s TV Baftas.
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bizbit
PHONESHOP writer Phil Bowker has blasted the state of comedy on TV, ahead of his new series Sliced, beginning on Dave on May 15.
He said: “Too often what we see is middle-class bulls**t about people I don’t give a f*** about.”
PEEP SHOW funnyman Robert Webb is writing a novel but won’t be taking tips from Fifty Shades Of Grey author El James.
He said: “Sometimes it’s good to see how s*** other people are and be pleased that you’re not that s***.”
Made in Chelsea
Made in Chelsea’s Olivia Bentley has revealed she has secretly been battling hair loss and alopecia.
The posh star says she has suffered from it since she was a teenager and uses hats to cover up bald patches.
She said: “Instead of retreating into my insecurity and concealing my hair loss, I decided to go public.
Not enough is spoken about alopecia in women – it’s still a taboo subject we tend to hide.”
Soapbox
THINGS get hysterical in Coronation Street as Mary fears Freda has killed Norris after finding an urn in No3.
Turns out rumours of his death have been exaggerated.
In Eastenders, Ben causes trouble for Rainie by sabotaging a sale at the car lot. She confronts him, causing him to threaten her and storm off.
Later, he arranges for the vehicles outside the car lot to be stolen.
In Emmerdale, Ellis is determined to get justice over the stabbing and Moira realises something is wrong with Victoria.
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