Share
Everyone is saying the same thing about Brian Dowling’s emotional new documentary
Published 12:10 13 Oct 2026 BST
Add us as a preferred source on Google »Brian Dowling has been praised for speaking out about online abuse in Toxic Threads
Brian Dowling is being praised for his vulnerable and eye-opening documentary, Toxic Threads. The dad-of-two's documentary aired on Virgin Media One last night, and viewers were overwhelmed with emotion as they watched the proud dad open up about the impact online trolling and abuse has had on him and his family.
In the wake of a growing rise in online hate and trolling, particularly on gossip websites such as Tattle Life, Brian led a deeply personal investigation into the toxic world of online trolling and harassment. After years of abuse directed at him, his family, his sexuality, and his parenting, Brian set out to understand who is behind the anonymous accounts posting hateful content online, why they do it, and what can be done to hold them accountable.
Viewers praised the presenter for being so vulnerable about his own experiences with online abuse. Dowling opened up about how his family's address was shared on Tattle Life and how trolls referred to him as his children's uncle on these toxic pages.
Many agreed that Brian's family, especially his children, would be so proud of his incredible work in the documentary.
One wrote, "You are the most fabulous dad and a very kind person, and I’m sure your beautiful daughters are so so proud of you.”
"Bravo to you for standing up and giving a voice to those who are in the shadows and being bullied on SM or anywhere who live a life that’s not conventional. Wow, this show is going to show people that there is another way, and I’m so happy to see this."
Another added, "I really hope you're proud of yourself. Nobody deserves the abuse you and Arthur have had to deal with, and it's awful that people think they can treat others that way. I've always had so much respect for you, but even more so for speaking out about something so personal. I really hope this makes people stop and think about the damage their words can do."
Toxic Threads is not only an eye-opening documentary, but a vital watch that will hopefully help many see just how harmful your words can be, especially on social media. Brian Dowling will undoubtedly help make a major change when it comes to online bullying and abuse with this powerful documentary.
