Talking to Anorexia
Louis Theroux spends time in two of London's largest eating disorder facilities to meet women with anorexia - an illness with the highest death rate of any psychiatric disorder.
Anorexia, the pathological fear of eating and gaining weight, is now the most deadly mental illness in the UK, affecting around one in every 250 women at some point in their lives. In recent years, the number of people being admitted to hospital because of their condition has risen dramatically but with many struggling to make a full recovery, being diagnosed with the eating disorder can sometimes mean a life-long battle.
In this film, Louis Theroux embeds himself in two of London's biggest adult eating-disorder treatment facilities: St Ann's Hospital and Vincent Square Clinic. He meets women of all ages and at various stages of their illness, accompanying them through an enforced daily routine of scheduled eating, weigh-ins and group therapy sessions.
As he spends more time with patients both on and off the wards, he witnesses the dangerous power that anorexia holds over them, leaving some unsure about whether recovery is achievable or even wanted. And as Louis seeks to understand what lies behind this mysterious illness, he finds himself drawn into a complex relationship between the disorder and the person it inhabits.
Last on
More episodes
Previous
Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
-
00:32
Ludovico Einaudi
Night
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Louis Theroux |
Producer | Ellena Wood |
Director | Ellena Wood |
Series Producer | Arron Fellows |
Executive Producer | Peter Dale |
Broadcasts
- Sun 29 Oct 2017 21:00
- Thu 2 Nov 2017 23:15
- Sat 18 Nov 2017 00:30
- Sun 21 Oct 2018 21:45±«Óãtv Two except Wales
- Sun 21 Oct 2018 22:15±«Óãtv Two Wales
- Mon 20 May 2019 23:15±«Óãtv Two except Scotland
Featured in...
Louis Theroux
From full series to single docs, here’s some of the best of Louis Theroux in one place.
Louis Theroux
A series of documentary films presented by Louis Theroux