Louis Theroux: Quick Facts on the Journalist Behind the Viral 'My Money Don't Jiggle Jiggle' Rap — and the One Alex Scott Ghosted

Louis Theroux's long career as a documentarian, journalist, and broadcaster has taken him across continents and into unusual corners of society, yet a short rap from decades ago unexpectedly pushed him into a new wave of global attention.

Louis Sebastian Theroux was born on 20 May 1970 and later studied at Magdalen College, Oxford. After graduating, he moved to the United States, beginning his career as a journalist with Metro Silicon Valley and Spy. His early work soon led him to television, where he presented segments for Michael Moore's TV Nation.

Theroux's move into television marked the start of a long partnership with the BBC. He launched Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends between 1998 and 2000, followed by When Louis Met... from 2000 to 2002. From 2003 onwards, he created 50 BBC Two specials covering subjects ranging from subcultures to high-profile personalities.

Across these projects, Theroux examined themes involving crime, the justice system, and global communities. Most of his documentaries were filmed in the United States, though he also explored societies in South Africa, Israel, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom. His work was once described by The New Yorker as a 'piercingly humane, slyly funny guide through the funkier passages of American culture.'

Awards, Recognition, and Viral Fame

Over his career, Theroux earned several major awards, including the Richard Dimbleby Award for Best Presenter in 2001 and 2002 from the British Academy Television Awards. In 2010, he won Best Presenter from the Royal Television Society Television Awards. These accolades marked him as one of Britain's most respected documentary makers.

In April 2022, an unexpected event introduced him to a new generation of viewers. A clip from his appearance on the YouTube series Chicken Shop Date surfaced, showing him performing a short rap originally created 22 years earlier for his Weird Weekends episode 'Gangsta Rap'. A TikTok user autotuned the clip and added backing music, transforming it into the viral track widely known for the line 'my money don't jiggle jiggle.'

The sound spread across TikTok, inspiring lip-syncing, dance trends, and further interest in Theroux's older footage. In May 2022, he released Jiggle Jiggle, a full version of the rap produced with the Manchester DJ duo Duke & Jones. This unexpected moment of viral fame became one of the most recognisable pop culture events linked to him.

Personal Life and Family

Theroux's first marriage was to Susanna Kleeman, ending in 2002. He later explained that the marriage was formed to help her remain in the United States legally and that they did not treat it as a traditional marriage. On 13 July 2012, he married Nancy Strang, and together they have three sons.

Theroux has spoken about the challenges of balancing family life with documentary work. His family lived in the Harlesden area of London before temporarily relocating to Los Angeles in early 2013 to allow him to focus on his LA Stories series. They moved again to Los Angeles in 2017 but spent the COVID-19 lockdowns in North-West London.

The Alex Scott Story

Theroux's name resurfaced again in late 2025 on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! when former England footballer Alex Scott revealed that she once ghosted him. She recounted meeting him at London's Drumsheds nightclub, where he praised her television work. Although she felt 'blown away' by his compliment, she became shy and did not reply when he later messaged her, a moment she described as something she remained 'ashamed' about.