Adolescence writer makes claim about the Manosphere after 'terrifying' Louis Theroux doc

Adolescence writer Jack Thorne has issued a stark warning about the manosphere.

The critically acclaimed Netflix drama follows a 13-year-old boy called Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) who has been arrested for being accused of murdering a teenage girl called Katie. The series opens with a raiding of the Miller’s home, where Stephen Graham plays Jamie’s dad, Eddie.

The show has been lauded by viewers and critics alike for its unflinching and timely portrayal of the issues affecting young people today, particularly young men in the digital age.

Thorne, the creator of the show, stated in a new interview that the government should be doing more to address the ‘manosphere problem’.

Adolescence has been praised by critics and viewers (Netflix)

Speaking at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards on Wednesday (March 18), Thorne also praised Louis Theroux’s ‘brilliant’ documentary, Inside the Manosphere on Netflix, which he said has continued a very important conversation about a challenging topic.

“It’s a complicated issue to combat, but it doesn’t feel like the government is necessarily leaning into some of the complicated ways they might solve the problem,” Thorne told The Independent.

Adolescence tackles toxic masculinity, incel culture and misogyny. Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere shines a spotlight on the strange and deeply troubling views held by some male online influencers, with Louis Theroux sitting down with figures embedded in the so-called 'manosphere'. Through interviews with creators like HSTikkyTokky, Myron Gaines, and Justin Waller, the film exposes the sexist, racist, and homophobic rhetoric circulating within these spaces—content that one user on X described as 'terrifying'.

Following its release, both Gaines and HSTikkyTokky have reacted angrily to the documentary, which has also fuelled wider curiosity and debate around the language and ideas associated with the manosphere.

Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne (Jesse Grant/2026GG/Penske Media via Getty Images)

What is the manosphere?

The term describes a loose network of online communities, consisting of influencers and content creators focused on men’s issues, masculinity, dating, and gender roles. Its ideology can be found in forums, podcasts, and on streaming platforms where creators discuss and promote topics such as self-improvement, relationships, and societal expectations to impressionable young men.

While some creators argue that the Manosphere aims to help men navigate modern life, it has been widely criticised for promoting misogynistic, anti-feminist, homophobic, transphobic, racist, and extreme views. Certain areas of the movement have ignited concern for spreading harmful narratives about women and reinforcing rigid or hostile gender roles. Some aspects of the manosphere may be referred to as ‘red pill’ and some followers of its messaging may at times be called ‘incels’.

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