A self-confessed paedophile will out himself in a British television documentary to ask for more help for people sexually attracted to children.

The documentary, called The Pedophile Next Door, will feature 39-year-old Eddie admitting openly on camera that he has been sexually attracted to girls as young as four since he was in his 20s, but insisting has never committed a crime.

The program looks at so-called "virtuous pedophiles" and suggests radical changes are needed to child protection, that include treatment and therapy for those who come forward despite never having committed any sex offences.

Eddie, who tells the program that he is also attracted to adult women, says he has never abused children and does not plan to.

He tells documentary maker Steve Humphries: "People will probably say 'Why isn't this guy locked up? We should kill this guy, we should go and give him a good shoeing'.

"I, honest to God, won't run away from you and if that is what you want to do to me, you come and do it, because all you are doing in that scenario is just keeping the status quo.

"Going around abusing children is not acceptable, viewing images of child pornography is not acceptable, but people are just waiting for you to offend before they help you.

"They are saying 'Do what you want but if we catch you we are going to bang you up', instead of saying perhaps 'Listen, we can help you'.

"But if you don't have that help, (and) you don't have that option to come forward and say 'Look, I have got a problem, I need help', what are we changing? We are changing nothing."