EXCLUSIVE: Stephen Fry is narrating a documentary about Soho and its future.
The legendary British actor is aboard This is Soho, which “blends vérité storytelling with unique access behind the doors of Soho’s most celebrated establishments and the residents who call Soho home,” according to its creative team.
This is Soho will delve into the heart of the iconic Central London district, speaking with drag queens, pub landlords and local legends. The doc comes with Soho “at a crossroads,” its team said, with rising rents, the rapid closure of iconic institutions and changes brought about by commercialisation placing its reputation as the bohemian capital of London under threat.
This is Soho is directed by Ahmed Peerbux (Grenfell: Uncovered) and fully financed by media entrepreneur Rob Pickles, with Sphere Abacus selling worldwide. Producers are Dare Pictures and Bad Tattoo.
The film will be showcased at MIPCOM 2025 and a theatrical rollout and festival circuit are planned for later this year.
Dare Pictures boss Derren Lawford said the feature is “not a film about the Soho you think you know.”
“With Ahmed Peerbux’s intimate, insightful and incisive direction and Stephen Fry’s unmistakable voice, we’re capturing the essence of a wonderful mix of communities in a way which feels both local and universal,” he added. “It’s the inside and definitive story of a place which for decades has welcomed people from all walks of life from all over the world and that’s something well worth celebrating.”
Peerbux said: “Soho has always punched above its postcode — this square mile has significantly shaped the world’s cultural imagination. Spending time with the people who live, work and play here, we’ve sought to uncover an authentic, layered present-day portrait of London’s most iconic area — one that pays homage to its glamorous mythos while also moving beyond it.”
