Stacey Dooley on 100+ Documentaries, Selling Sunset & Southampton

The Romesh Ranganathan Show

Stacey Dooley joins Romesh Ranganathan to reflect on her two-decade journey from a Luton Airport retail worker to an award-winning documentary maker with over 100 films. She

Key takeaways

• Dooley began her career at 19 as a non-expert contributor for the BBC after working at Luton Airport, deliberately avoiding an 'authory' tone to connect with everyday people.
• Her upcoming BBC Three trilogy tackles ketamine addiction in teenagers, women falling from social housing linked to coercive control, and the sexual harassment case of soldier Jaisley Beck.

Main topics

• Documentary filmmaking philosophy & editorial evolution
• New BBC Three investigations (ketamine, domestic abuse, military harassment)

Notable quotes

"It's really my job to go in and sort of speak to the people who are living this experience and make them feel comfy and then they can tell us from their point of view what life is like."

Conclusion

The episode balances Dooley's serious journalistic impact with her relata

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:00) Have you seen the clips of this Barney? This, what's it called? It's basically a horror film. But it's like this, you know Barney the dinosaur? So it's like an orange dinosaur called Buddy. And basically eventually sort of gradually kills all the kids. It's fucking insane. Who's Speaker 5 (0:16) the target demographic? Who's watching that? Speaker 1 (0:19) Some sick fucks. I mean, I honestly don't know. It's so wild. I couldn't, I was just thinking, I thought exactly that. Who is this for? Speaker 2 (0:26) Well, my like... the media brain goes it's people who grew up with Barney but who are now horror fans so you've Speaker 3 (0:35) got Speaker 2 (0:35) a bit of nostalgia I Speaker 5 (0:37) guess Speaker 2 (0:38) you've got a bit of childhood nostalgia plus it's like the perfect Speaker 5 (0:41) mix Speaker 2 (0:42) of things for horror film you've got childhood nostalgia plus Speaker 5 (0:44) this big scary Speaker 2 (0:46) idea yeah Speaker 5 (0:47) so Speaker 1 (0:48) could we get like a Nightmare on Sesame Street yeah Speaker 5 (0:51) Oscar the Speaker 1 (0:54) Grouch pops out of the bin and fucking smashes a shell Speaker 5 (0:56) ta-da Speaker 1 (0:57) Or drags you down into the bin and then you just hear some knocking noises and then eventually the kid stops talking. Speaker 5 (1:04) Great. I mean, Speaker 1 (1:06) Big Bird in a row. A Speaker 5 (1:08) lot. Speaker 1 (1:09) I reckon he can handle himself. Feathers everywhere. Speaker 5 (1:10) Yeah. Chaos. I am Stacey Dooley and I'm very happy to say that I am on the Romesh Ranganathan Show. Speaker 4 (1:28) Shut up, Romesh. Speaker 1 (1:31) Okay. I'm going to do your intro now. Speaker 4 (1:33) Yes, okay. Speaker 1 (1:34) If you don't like it, I always say this. If you don't like it, no, not tough. Speaker 5 (1:37) Oh. Speaker 1 (1:38) You can add stuff. Speaker 5 (1:39) No. Yeah. Speaker 1 (1:40) Okay. My guest today... Good luck. Not good luck. Good luck to me. Speaker 5 (1:44) My Speaker 1 (1:45) guest today is an internationally acclaimed... That is true. ...and Grierson Trustees award-winning documentary maker and best-selling author... First regular smoker, first appeared as a contributor on the BBC3 documentary Blood, Sweat Speaker 5 (1:59) and Speaker 1 (1:59) T-Shirts in 2008 and has gone on to make over one... 100 documentaries on subjects ranging from sexual abuse and human trafficking to suicide bombers and drug cartels. She's navigated intense and challenging situations across the globe, from war zones to the Strictly Ballroom with boldness and empathy. Her new series Clickbait Clinic is out now, and she's got three powerful BBC Three documentaries investigating difficult issues in the UK, including ketamine addiction and military deaths coming out later this year. It is the one, the only. Stacey Dooley everybody! That Speaker 5 (2:36) was great. Speaker 1 (2:38) And Speaker 5 (2:38) you know what? It's always lovely to be called Stacey Dooley because often this literally happens yesterday. They go Stacey, Solomon, who we love, who we love, but I get that a hell of a lot. You Speaker 1 (2:50) know what I get a lot? Go on. Overexposed. Speaker 5 (2:53) I don't feel like that. Speaker 1 (2:54) I Speaker 5 (2:54) get that so much. But I am gobsmacked you're not presented strictly. I did just assume it would be you. And I thought what they'll do is they'll strip away the dancing because that's not important and it will just be the Romesh show. Speaker 1 (3:07) Look, I pitched it. Speaker 5 (3:09) They didn't go for it. Speaker 1 (3:10) They said, they described, what were the words they came back with? Car crash. Speaker 5 (3:15) Absolutely not. Yeah. But it is lovely to see you. Speaker 1 (3:17) It's lovely to see you. Thanks for coming on. You're a proper documentary maker. Speaker 5 (3:21) I'm a very highbrow, serious documentary maker. Over Speaker 1 (3:23) 100. Yeah, Speaker 5 (3:24) that's mad, huh? It is crazy. It Speaker 1 (3:26) is crazy. But Speaker 5 (3:27) don't forget, I started young. So I started as a contributor and it was only ever meant to be a one-off. So they're like, oh yeah, well, you know, we'll take this girl, you know, this sort of loot and... You know, she works at Luton Airport and she's into shopping and she's into fast fashion and we'll sort of, you know, take her to India and show her the sweatshops. And then 20 years later, I'm still making documentaries. Yeah. It's mad. Speaker 1 (3:49) It is mad. It's like you've had a journey, haven't you? Speaker 5 (3:51) Yeah, the J words. I truly have, though. And that's Speaker 1 (3:54) the Speaker 5 (3:54) thing. No, but you're right. It's like painfully predictable. It's like I sort of turned up and now I know how telly works. They must have just been rubbing their hands in glee. Because it was like I was just soundbite, soundbite, soundbite, just like this uneducated, curious, sort of fairly pleasant little girl from Luton who'd never left Europe. Speaker 1 (4:14) And Speaker 5 (4:15) then they take six of us and show us like how we're complicit, you know, fast consumerism, this insatiable appetite for like T-shirts for three quid. I'm like, this is unbelievable. Have the most amazing time, like discover India. Like it was amazing. It really was, you know. You come back and I remember the guy who was in charge of the Beeb at the time saying, ringing me up before it aired, just sort of warning me, like, you might get hassled, people might not get you, you know. Speaker 1 (4:45) Why did they think that? Well, Speaker 5 (4:47) because we were sort of covering current affairs-based issues, but I'd left school at 15 and wasn't a journalist. So Speaker 1 (4:54) you're not coming at it from a point of view of an expert. Exactly right. And then, so they thought you might get some shit for that. Speaker 5 (4:59) Yes, which I did. And I think it was like I really split the camp. Some people were like... why on earth has this girl been given a platform? Which is sort of fair enough. And then other people were like, oh, she's a breath of fresh air. You know, she's, her sort of relatability is useful for those who don't necessarily watch Newsnight religiously or listen to sort of Women's Hour. Speaker 4 (5:22) So Speaker 5 (5:23) I kind of found my feet. I sort of was navigating this space that hadn't really been that well trodden before. So, and listen, I'm still doing it. And by some miracle. they haven't sent me back to Luton Airport. No. I'm still, yeah. Is Speaker 1 (5:38) that on the cards then? Well, you never know. What do they say? Do they say, at some point, Stacey, we will have to send you back to Luton Airport? At Speaker 5 (5:44) some point, you are going to be pushed out the fire exit door. Yeah. But... Enjoy your time while you're here. Absolutely. Speaker 1 (5:50) Yeah. Yeah, I'm waiting for the tap on the shoulder. Listen, Speaker 5 (5:52) you never know. Straight Speaker 1 (5:52) back to Gatwick. Speaker 5 (5:53) Of course, because you're crawly. Yeah, Speaker 1 (5:56) yeah, yeah. Are we Speaker 5 (5:56) rivals? Yeah, Speaker 1 (5:57) I think we might be. No, Speaker 5 (5:58) fine. Airport on Speaker 1 (5:59) airport beef. Speaker 5 (5:59) Yeah, that's it. Is Speaker 1 (6:01) it true you're into boxing? I Speaker 5 (6:02) love boxing. Speaker 1 (6:03) Great, because we've got a gift for you. Speaker 5 (6:07) Okay. Speaker 1 (6:08) Thank you ever so much. This is to help you train. Speaker 5 (6:10) No, fine. I'll just put my tea between my legs. Did you watch Garcia and Ben? No, I didn't. Are you into boxing? Speaker 1 (6:17) I'm a casual, but I know I saw the highlights of the fight. Did you watch Speaker 5 (6:20) Moses? Speaker 1 (6:21) Yes. We Speaker 5 (6:22) love Moses. He just couldn't take his chin off. Speaker 1 (6:24) Yeah. Well, I've never seen. Speaker 5 (6:27) Yeah. Speaker 1 (6:28) I've never seen. At the end of the fight, Speaker 5 (6:30) I've Speaker 1 (6:31) never seen anything like that. It looked like. somebody was controlling him for a console. He was so battered, wasn't he? Correct. But he'll still have a great career, won't Speaker 5 (6:42) he? It's really unexpected that I love boxing, but I absolutely love it with my whole heart. If it's silly o'clock over in Vegas or across the park, I'll get up, set the alarm for 10 to 3, Speaker 1 (6:53) get Speaker 5 (6:54) a cup of tea and a Pop-Tart, and I'm like, this is great. Speaker 1 (6:56) Anyway, Speaker 5 (6:57) thanks for the gift. Speaker 1 (6:58) No worries. Well, wait till you see it first. Speaker 1 (7:03) No, just throwing it on the floor. Kidding. Speaker 5 (7:07) What is this? What is it? Speaker 1 (7:08) So it's basically, it's a headband with a ball and a string. I'm really simplifying it. So I can train? Yes. Speaker 5 (7:18) But that is so thoughtful. Thank you ever so much. No Speaker 1 (7:20) problem. Should I Speaker 5 (7:21) try it now? You Speaker 1 (7:22) can if you want. I mean, I don't know how long it'll take to set up. You've Speaker 5 (7:25) got questions to ask, haven't you? Yeah, it's just a ball on a string. I don't think there's much set up. Speaker 1 (7:30) I absolutely love Speaker 5 (7:31) it. Let me just... Well, Speaker 1 (7:33) I Speaker 5 (7:33) mean, I said Speaker 1 (7:33) I don't know in my defence. Speaker 5 (7:36) Look, let's just have a quick go. Oh, we've done it. There we go. Eddie Hearn's going to be on the phone. Sorry, can Speaker 1 (7:44) we just, I would like, can we play a little bit of, a little of a jingle? I'd like a jingle into this and make it a new feature. Ben's being... It was so, it was such an unnecessary roaster. I just said I don't know how long. Speaker 1 (8:03) You Speaker 5 (8:03) impressed? Speaker 1 (8:04) Low and slow. I'm really impressed. Speaker 5 (8:06) Low and slow, apparently. And it's Speaker 1 (8:08) difficult. Speaker 5 (8:10) Well, Katie Taylor's just retired. Speaker 1 (8:12) Yeah, so there you go. That's why we thought we'd get you this. Speaker 1 (8:21) That is good. And totally expected, to be honest with you. Speaker 5 (8:26) Outstanding. Speaker 1 (8:27) Yeah, outstanding. So enjoy that. That Speaker 5 (8:29) is so thoughtful. Thank you. I made up with that. Speaker 1 (8:31) No problem. Yeah, good. I'm glad you liked it. How did Speaker 5 (8:33) you Speaker 1 (8:33) get into boxing? Speaker 5 (8:34) How did I get into loving boxing? That's a good question. Speaker 1 (8:38) Been to Wetherspoons a lot? Speaker 5 (8:39) I've been to Wetherspoons. You ever heard of Luke Nando? Speaker 1 (8:44) I Speaker 5 (8:44) don't know. I've just followed it for years. And do you know what it is for me? I love like the showmanship of it all. I love like the trash talk prior to the fight and then them kicking off and someone throwing a can and then the dad getting involved and, you know, all of that. I just love. You know, my Speaker 1 (9:01) favourite thing is when the trash talk sort of goes wrong. Yes. When they try and sound threatening and it actually becomes quite homo, right? Speaker 5 (9:06) Yes. They're like, why do you want to kiss me? I'm going to Speaker 1 (9:09) be all over you. Speaker 5 (9:10) Yeah. I'm Speaker 1 (9:10) going to be all over you. over you like a lover that won't ever let go my tongue's gonna be all up in and around you and you go okay dude wow Speaker 5 (9:17) wow yeah yeah yeah I know I can't make it still there was someone who said something and the other lad went nah bruh he said I Speaker 1 (9:24) think it's Speaker 5 (9:25) something Speaker 1 (9:25) like I'm gonna go through you that yes something yes I'm gonna I'm going to go through you like diarrhea. It was something like that. Yeah. And then he goes, what? And he Speaker 5 (9:35) goes, you know what I mean. Yeah. Speaker 1 (9:38) I know what you mean. It sounds disgusting. Speaker 5 (9:42) And I saw Caroline Dubois. I know this isn't a boxing podcast. Obviously Dubois' sister. And she is such a slay. They look identical. Speaker 1 (9:51) Oh, really? Speaker 5 (9:51) It was the first time it's been a women's only card at the Royal Albert Hall. Speaker 1 (9:56) I was there. Speaker 5 (9:57) Oh, I was there. Oh, Speaker 1 (9:58) really? Yeah, yeah. You was probably Speaker 5 (9:59) further to the front. Speaker 1 (10:01) I was, yeah. I had my one hand on one of the ropes. Yeah, you were in the Speaker 5 (10:04) corner, weren't Speaker 1 (10:05) you? Speaker 5 (10:05) Yeah. But yeah, I love boxing. Speaker 1 (10:07) Yeah, yeah. Speaker 1 (10:09) I'll tell you what I do. I've only been to a couple of boxing fights. The sound of them getting hit I find incredibly upsetting, actually. Oh, Speaker 5 (10:18) really? And I Speaker 1 (10:18) always feel sorry for the person that loses. Really? Because Speaker 5 (10:20) I think Speaker 1 (10:20) they worked really hard as well, didn't they? Speaker 5 (10:22) But don't you feel like... The thing is with me, which is really interesting, in a Weatherspoons, I can't bear... I cannot bear confrontation. Right. Speaker 1 (10:30) I Speaker 5 (10:30) can't bear it when it's a scrap, like a mean fight. Speaker 1 (10:34) Yeah. Speaker 5 (10:36) Boxing, I think they've been training for weeks. You know, it's a great payday for them. It's a sort of discipline. You know, I think take his head off. Speaker 1 (10:44) Fine. Speaker 5 (10:46) It's crazy. Yeah. Speaker 1 (10:47) No, it was... You made quite a jump to take his head off. Speaker 5 (10:51) No, I know. It's like... Speaker 1 (10:53) I know you felt like that was a smooth runway. No. And do you like UFC as well? Speaker 5 (10:58) I did. I like it less now. I did like UFC. I think I've fallen out of love with some of the characters. You know what I mean? Right. Speaker 3 (11:06) For Speaker 5 (11:06) obvious reasons. But I actually went to a UFC fight. I think it was like 200 or 202 when I was in Vegas. Yeah. Spent all this money that I didn't really have when I was up in the gods and then I had to pay to get the binoculars. But it was like, I think that was like Lesnar, I think Mighty Mouse 4. I can't remember. But I loved the experience. As I say, I sort of love the showmanship of it all. Speaker 1 (11:27) Yeah. Speaker 1 (11:28) Again, UFC is like another level of brutal. Yeah, Speaker 5 (11:31) yeah. I used to love Ronda Rousey, but then obviously she went over into wrestling and I don't really mess with wrestling. My 44-year-old boyfriend loves pro wrestling. Speaker 1 (11:40) Right. Speaker 5 (11:40) Yeah, which I sort of... Have you Speaker 1 (11:42) said his... The way you said... Can I be honest? The way you said his age... Speaker 5 (11:45) Yeah. It Speaker 1 (11:46) implied that you thought he was too old to be into wrestling. Speaker 5 (11:48) Yes, I know. But do you know what's interesting? Yeah. This is why I fancied him, because he's so into what he's into. Speaker 1 (11:55) Right. Speaker 5 (11:56) Unapologetically. And I think that's a slay. Because it's so naff, it's cool. Speaker 1 (12:00) Got you. If you're so into something, regardless of how much of an ick that might be, Speaker 5 (12:04) that's Speaker 1 (12:06) attractive. Yes. He's gone through the ick wormhole. Correct. To being attractive. Yeah, I get that. Yes, you know? Yeah, I totally get that. Speaker 5 (12:11) So, yes, I don't really watch the wrestling. But then he says, you know, when we're sort of watching all the boxing, he's like, you know, it's just like pro wrestling. It's like kayfabe. And I'm like, no, Speaker 1 (12:20) I Speaker 5 (12:20) know you've made that point a hundred times. Speaker 1 (12:23) Is it like wrestling? Speaker 5 (12:25) Well, I think it is because it's kayfabe, isn't it? It's like nothing's real. It's like politics. It's like, you know, kayfabe is everywhere. Like nothing is real. We just sort of wear these outfits and costumes and play a part and we don't really mean it. Speaker 1 (12:39) Yeah, but this is really a podcast. No, sorry. Yes. What else do you like apart from boxing and UFC? What else are you into? What Speaker 5 (12:45) am I into? What Speaker 1 (12:46) are the hobbies of Stacey Dooley? I'm Speaker 5 (12:47) so dull. I like... Buying overpriced things for the house. Yeah. I'm into interior design. Yeah. I am into going on holiday, staying at pretentious hotels. Speaker 5 (13:00) That is it. Speaker 1 (13:01) Can I ask you what you think about this then? Go on. Because when we moved into our house, Lisa has bought... Have Speaker 5 (13:07) you Speaker 1 (13:07) got Speaker 5 (13:07) a new house? Speaker 1 (13:08) Well, we've been in there a couple of years. Fine, so she's doing it up. But Lisa... I think Ben and Georgie, I don't know if you remember seeing this when you came round. Georgie, you were absolutely battered seeing this. Oh! Speaker 5 (13:20) Good for you. Speaker 1 (13:21) But Lisa bought... Speaker 5 (13:24) Go on. Speaker 1 (13:25) They're in little boxes. They're all on the wall. All the different... Positions from the Kama Sutra. Speaker 5 (13:30) Did she? Speaker 1 (13:31) Yeah. Speaker 5 (13:32) Get it, girl. Speaker 1 (13:32) I know. Speaker 5 (13:33) Lucky you. It's on Speaker 1 (13:34) the wall. The kids walk past it every day as they go upstairs. I Speaker 5 (13:37) think Speaker 1 (13:37) that's Speaker 5 (13:37) fine, though. Is Speaker 1 (13:38) it? Speaker 5 (13:38) My house, so I live in Liverpool, and I've basically got this beautiful old house, and I really feel the business in it. Really? Yeah. You know when you go to view a house and you're like, there's not a world where I can afford this? Yeah. But then you can. Speaker 1 (13:51) Yeah. Speaker 5 (13:52) Because, well, only because I'm up north. Sure. And so you're sort of walking around. All the street. I take it all. Speaker 1 (13:58) I Speaker 5 (13:58) think that's what the lad in Brookside did and now he's very rich. But I love my house and I feel I'm sort of really house proud and I just sort of, I love doing the house up and then it gets trashed and then I get the ump. But I understand Lisa completely. Speaker 1 (14:12) Yeah. Do you Speaker 5 (14:13) have any say whatsoever now? Speaker 1 (14:15) Yeah. Oh. I do have some say. That's not Speaker 5 (14:18) useful. Speaker 1 (14:18) Oh. Speaker 5 (14:19) I don't want Kev to offer any opinions whatsoever. Speaker 1 (14:22) Oh, cool. Speaker 5 (14:23) Which is really healthy, isn't it? Yeah, Speaker 1 (14:25) listen, you're running a dictatorship. Speaker 5 (14:27) No, I'm not. Speaker 1 (14:28) More power to you. Well, I say more power to you, it seems like you've got all of it. I Speaker 5 (14:32) don't need any more. Yeah. Speaker 1 (14:34) So if he expressed an opinion, what happens? If he said to you, oh, I've seen, let's just see how this would go. Speaker 5 (14:42) So Speaker 1 (14:43) he says to you, oh, Stacey. By the way, first of all, before we get into this, I love all the stuff that you, it's so great. Thank you. And I just thought it'd be cool if I had like a little, like a little thing that, you're already starting to shake your head. If I had a little thing, you know what I'd love? Go on. Is one of those cats, you know the cats that do that? I Speaker 5 (15:02) do, Speaker 1 (15:03) in Speaker 5 (15:03) the Speaker 1 (15:03) nail shop, yeah. I would, well not just in nail shops. No. You know, they're all, you know. Speaker 5 (15:08) Yes. Speaker 1 (15:08) I think it would work really well in the living room if we just sat in. Just a small one. Yeah. Speaker 5 (15:14) What Speaker 1 (15:14) do you think? Speaker 5 (15:15) Well, listen, I appreciate your input. Speaker 5 (15:20) I think it'll work in your wardrobe. Speaker 1 (15:22) In the wardrobe that's closed? In your wardrobe. The closed wardrobe? Speaker 5 (15:25) In the closed wardrobe. So Speaker 1 (15:26) it's for me Speaker 5 (15:26) to, when I'm choosing something to wear. So when you're saying, oh, what am I going to wear today? You've got somebody waving at you. That'd be nice for you. Speaker 1 (15:34) Okay. But Speaker 5 (15:34) thank you. Could we keep Speaker 1 (15:35) the wardrobe open then? Like, you know, so it's on display all the time? I don't want Speaker 5 (15:38) you to walk into it accidentally. Speaker 1 (15:41) Okay, fine. Speaker 5 (15:41) This is coercive. I Speaker 1 (15:43) thought, I thought. Speaker 5 (15:45) I Speaker 1 (15:45) smell another documentary. Speaker 5 (15:49) An authored piece. I know. I am so highly strung. I'm so highly strung about the house. Yeah. It's like, that's actually not a nice trait, but it's how it is. No, Speaker 1 (16:01) listen, we wanted to expose you in some way. And here Speaker 5 (16:03) I am, yeah. Speaker 1 (16:06) This episode is brought to you by American Express. When I'm not podcasting from my glorious studio, there's a lot of other things I like to do, like going to gigs