Louis Theroux is the headline act at this quirky summer festival
- Posted by
- Megan Murray
- Published

Louis Theroux fans, here’s your chance to see this household name up close.
There’s just something about Louis Theroux, isn’t there?
His disarmingly likeable nature puts everyone from single mothers to murderous psychopaths at ease, and even though his wildly successful documentaries are broadcast around the world, he eases his subjects into telling their innermost secrets as if with an old friend.
It’s this, combined with a passion for uncovering the truth on some of the darkest topics festering under society’s surface, that’s made him something of a cult icon.
But this summer, Theroux will no longer be out of reach behind your laptop screen, as the legend himself is heading to Hampstead in London to headline quirky literary festival, Idler Festival 2019.
Idler is a bi-monthly magazine that is taking over Fenton House in Hampstead for the weekend (12-14 July) to put on a series of talks, workshops, local walks, harpsichord recitals, drawing, poetry, beekeeping, wandering minstrels, agony aunt sessions, tarot reading, dancing, knitting and we’re promised more to be announced.
Drawing on the brand’s sophisticated, creative personality, the weekend promises to nurture the soul and spark inspiration, as well feature a lot of slumping in deck chairs being warmed the sun. It is the Idle-r after all.
But arguably the most exciting of the festival’s activities is the chance to see Theroux be interviewed live on stage, chatting to the magazine’s founder about his career, life and works in progress.
We spoke to Theroux earlier this year about Mothers on the Edge, the BBC2 documentary about postpartum psychosis, in which he told us about the huge responsibility he feels when creating documentaries about mental health, and the stress and concern he went through after one of the contributors to the documentary attempted suicide. Theroux’s honesty and fascinating experiences make for compelling interviews on the page, so we’re more than excited at the possibility of seeing him tell stories on stage.
Festival weekend tickets are priced at £105 and the first two drops have already sold out.
Images: Getty / BBC / Lottie Gammon