Idris Elba says joining a boxing club as a youngster was a “real turning point” in his life.
The ‘Harder They Fall’ actor is grateful to the sport for teaching him “discipline” during his younger years, and he believes boxing can help many people, especially those who are in need of some “direction” in their lives.
Speaking about his new show, ‘Fight School’ – in which several teens and 20-somethings will take part in an intensive course of boxing training to try to learn new life skills – he said: “When I was young I joined a boxing club, and my trainer Joe took me under his wing.
“It was a real turning point in my life, teaching me discipline and control moving forward.
“During my own experience of fighting there was a level of peace I was able to achieve. Boxing requires you to switch off all the noise and focus on the moment, a skill that I believe all people need, especially younger people who need direction.
“Looking back at my own experiences, I’m reminded of how powerful boxing can be on disadvantaged young people, giving them a sense of purpose. This was the inspiration behind Fight School.”
Idris admitted he didn’t go into the BBC TV show “lightly”, and revealed some of the people who took part didn’t make it through the whole process, and it was tough to say goodbye.
He said: “This was my first time filming something like this, a social experiment of sorts. Taking on the responsibility for these young people’s lives is not something I take lightly, and I wanted to be there for them as much as possible and to make sure that there was an incredible support group of trainers and mentors around them as well.
“As the process went on we dealt with our fair share of injuries, and sadly some of our students were not able to stay throughout the duration of the process. Saying goodbye was the hardest part.”
