Channel 4 is to go under Britain's bedsheets to find out what turns the nation on. In the three-part series Sex Odyssey Alice Levine will be asking whether there’s any such thing as “normal” when it comes to sex and sexuality in the 2020s.
Since lockdown, there’s been a 900% increase in Brits searching for couples’ sex toys while subscriptions to webcam services have skyrocketed. And when asked what we’re most excited to do when life returns to normal, kinkier sex is a top priority. Is Britain finally shaking off its old conventions on sex?
To answer that question, Alice - co-creator of hit podcast ‘My Dad Wrote a Porno’ - will immerse herself in the lives of sexual adventurers up and down Britain, meeting those pushing the boundaries of sex, intimacy and relationships.
In the series, executive produced by documentary-maker Louis Theroux, Alice will be invited into the nation's bedrooms, challenging her own preconceptions and discovering what happens when the shackles of sexual conformity are abandoned.
Alice Levine said: “It’s a real honour to be the first presenter Louis is working with as an executive producer, especially after so many years watching his programmes. We are both fascinated by the contradictions of people’s lives - the strange and transgressive, next to the mundane and ordinary, in one person's story. I hope that these films will be both warm and funny, surprising and sensitive. And if we can take the taboo out of talking about sex, that’s a huge bonus.”
Louis Theroux, Executive Producer said: “I’ve always seen films themed around sex as the most challenging but when you get them right the most rewarding. Our sexual interests are arguably the most fundamental aspect of who we are and we’re living in a time when a lot of our assumptions are being rethought. This is a chance to examine all of that, and doing it with a presenter whose warmth, wit, intelligence, and sensitivity make her an ideal guide through sometimes difficult terrain."
Fozia Khan, Commissioning Editor at Channel 4, said: “This bold series continues Channel 4’s proud tradition of embracing taboo subjects others might shy away from, with stories that delight and intrigue. We’re over the moon to be bringing the incredibly talented Alice, whom we have long admired, into the documentary space at the Channel and to be working with the brilliant creatives at Mindhouse.”
Arron Fellows, Executive Producer said: “When we set up Mindhouse, we were really excited about collaborating with other documentary presenters and Alice was top of our list. I can’t think of anyone better to explore and celebrate the diverse range of sex and relationships in the UK today.”
Mindhouse are a London-based independent television production company established by Louis Theroux, Arron Fellows and Nancy Strang.
