Louis Theroux awarded prestigious fellowship: 'I felt like an imposter'

From embedding himself with white supremacists to visiting adult film sets and going swimming with Pete Doherty, Louis Theroux has always gone to extremes in his documentaries, whilst gaining insight into complex worlds and characters due to his disarming style.

Now The National Film and Television School (NFTS) is to award its prestigious annual Honorary Fellowship to the BAFTA-winning filmmaker. In recognition of his wide-reaching influence on documentaries, the NFTS Board of Governors named Louis Theroux as the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Honorary Fellowship. The Board praised his dedication to uncovering diverse human experiences through bold, thought-provoking storytelling across multiple mediums, including documentaries, podcasts and books—an influence that continues to inspire a new generation of creatives and documentary makers.

The Fellowship, awarded annually to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the industry, will be presented to Louis Theroux by Sophie Turner Laing, Chair of the NFTS Board of Governors during the School’s Class of 2025 graduation ceremony, due to take place on Friday 7th March in Central London.

Laing said, “Louis Theroux’s work has had an undeniable impact on the documentary genre, inspiring countless filmmakers to push boundaries and explore untold stories. We are thrilled to present him with this year’s Honorary Fellowship and to celebrate his immense contribution to the world of factual filmmaking. His ability to connect with audiences and uncover powerful human stories makes him a true icon in the industry.”.

Theroux said of receiving the award, “I’m massively grateful to be offered this Honorary Fellowship by the National Film and Television School. I came into the industry more than thirty years ago, feeling like a trespasser, an imposter, in a role meant for someone else, worrying that I would be found out, hoping I could keep going for a few more months, since I was enjoying it so much.

All these years later, I’ve learned that ‘keeping going’ may be the best definition of success. My hope is that this fellowship will be a chance to connect with younger people who are starting out, people who, like me, are still figuring things out - sharing the few things I’ve learned, and more importantly, learning from them.”.

Previous recipients of the Honorary Fellowship include Barbara Broccoli, Jack Thorne, Sally Wainwright, Nick Park, Lynn Ramsay, Sam Mendes and Malorie Blackman. Ahead of presenting the Fellowship to Louis Theroux, the NFTS will showcase the outstanding work of its talented 2025 graduates to industry professionals at the BFI Southbank, taking place from Monday 3rd March until Thursday 6th March.