Aimee Walker
Louis Theroux is joining up with Tiger King’s Joe Exotic for a BBC documentary.
The programme, titled Louis Theroux: The Cult of Joe Exotic, will feature ‘never-before-seen footage’ and ‘brand new interviews’ that were shot back in 2011 when the pair first met.
Announcing the project in a statement, Theroux said: “This is one of those quintessentially American stories, taking place in the heartland of Oklahoma, with a cast of characters almost too colourful and larger-than-life to be believed.
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“I spent eight or nine days filming at the park back in 2011, over the course of three separate visits.”
He added: “I’d forgotten how much we shot until I went back into the footage during lockdown. It’s extraordinary how much was there.
“Since then the story just got stranger and bigger, and in going back at the end of last year I uncovered a real-life drama that took me in directions I never could have expected.”
BBC’s Commissioner for documentaries, Clare Sillery, commented: “This feature-length special will be full to the brim with never-before-seen footage and brand new interviews with those on all sides of the Joe Exotic story.”
In 2020, Exotic became a household name thanks to Netflix’s documentary, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.
The 58-year-old is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence in the US for murder-for-hire and animal cruelty charges.
He has always maintained his innocence and insisted that he was ‘railroaded and betrayed’ by others.
Last year, he formally requested a pardon.
His attorney said in a statement: “Joseph is scheduled to be released from (Bureau of Prisons) custody in 2037; however, with his comprised health, he will likely die in prison.
“He humbly requests a pardon to correct the injustices he has experienced and to have the opportunity to return to providing meaningful contributions to his community.”
Featured Image Credit: Netflix & Instagram/@officiallouistheroux
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