Louis Theroux Reveals the Shocking Regret That Still Haunts Him About His Jimmy Savile Documentary
Ever looked back at something from your past and thought, “Wait… how in the world did I miss THAT?” Louis Theroux knows that feeling—probably better than most of us ever will . Imagine sitting across from one of Britain’s most beloved media icons, Jimmy Savile, not knowing you’re chatting with perhaps the most prolific child predator in UK history . In 2000, Theroux did exactly that, filming his now-infamous documentary, blissfully clueless about the nightmarish truths to come . Since Savile’s horrifying crimes came to light after his death, every eyebrow wiggle and off-hand comment from those old TV appearances suddenly seems much, much darker . And for Theroux—a journalist who staked his name on getting under the skin of oddballs and outcasts—that single missed clue gnaws at him, sparking regret even now . It’s the kind of thing that makes you wonder: Would you have caught on any faster? Or—gulp—been fooled, too? Curious about Theroux’s one great regret, and how he reckons with it years later? LEARN MORE.
Louis Theroux has revealed the one regret he has when looking back on his infamous documentary about Louis Saville.
Back in 2000, Theroux profiled Jimmy Savile – then a beloved British media personality – for his series When Louis Met…completely unaware that Savile would later be exposed as one of the nation’s most prolific child sex abusers.
Savile’s horrifying crimes remained unknown to the public until a year after his death, meaning the 84-year-old had been able to get away with sexually abusing hundreds of people across five decades.
In the years since Savile’s crimes became public knowledge, people have begun to look upon his media appearances in a different light, with his behaviour now appearing a lot more sinister than it did at the time.
Theroux famously interviewed Jimmy Saville in 2000 (Samir Hussein/WireImage for ABA)
This includes Theroux’s documentary, which showcases a moment where the 55-year-old even questioned Savile directly about paedophilia rumours.
Theroux would later revisit his time with Savile in 2016’s TV film Louis Theroux: Savile, which attempted to investigate how he was able to get away with his crimes for so long.
The journalist and presenter even at times questioned his own inability to uncover the truth, revealing his one regret regarding Savile in a 2016 interview with The Grierson Trust.
“In a small way, I felt that I had an account of myself and how it was that I had not managed to show more of him,” Theroux said while reflecting on how public perception of the original documentary has changed.
“I’m very torn on this,” he continued. “Because on one level, I’m really proud of the original show and I feel it showed more than anyone else had while he was alive.
“On another level, I’m aware that we missed this vast secret that he had, and a little part of me feels disappointed with myself.”
He has since reflected on the 2000 documentary (BBC)
Theroux went on to speculate whether or not Savile had decided he’d be able to do the documentary without being caught out, adding: “He agreed to do this.
“He saw me, seized me up and thought, ‘you know what, I can give this guy two weeks of access and I’m not too worried that he’s going to uncover the fact I’m a sexual predator’.
“In that calculation, he was correct,” Theroux added. “Which is rather galling.”
This isn’t the first time Theroux has reflected critically on his time with Savile, with the podcaster describing himself as ‘gullible’ while meeting several of the media personality’s victims.
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