Currently, broadcasters are playing it safe when it comes to making shows about risky subjects, according to Louis Theroux.

His documentaries often dealt with “morally fraught” people whose stories “made me nervous”.

For fear of offending viewers, broadcasters like now are tempted to avoid difficult subjects.

The TV industry is characterized by an “atmosphere of anxiety” according to him.

As part of the Edinburgh TV Festival, Theroux gave the MacTaggart lecture.

In making documentaries about people I profoundly disagree with, he wants to take the risk of speaking to them.

In the past, he investigated worlds viewed as stigmatized or controversial, including the porn industry, the far right, Nazis, gangs, and sexual predators.

He said the stories often made him nervous. They felt risky.

“However, the shows with the highest degree of moral complexity were the most successful.”.

There are some episodes that have aged better than others, particularly those that are less morally fraught.

Today’s broadcasters are “more thoughtful about representation” and aware of the “need not to give offense wantonly,” he said. As far as that agenda is concerned, I fully support it.

I wonder if the very laudable aim of not offending has created an atmosphere of anxiety that sometimes leads to less confident, less morally complex film-making.”

According to him, this could make commissioning programs about extremists, sex workers, and paedophiles more difficult.

As a result of his work experience, he saw “all-too-well the no-win situation it often finds itself in”.

It was avoiding offence by anticipating the latest volleys of criticism, stampeded by this or that interest group, he explained.

The criticisms often come from former employees writing for privately owned newspapers whose owners would be happy to eliminate their competition.

As a result, there is a temptation to play it safe, to avoid difficult topics.