Idris Elba hopes to turn youngsters away from knife crime in new TV series

Idris Elba hopes to turn youngsters away from knife crime in his new TV series.

The 47-year-old actor - who grew up in a council estate in east London - will give young adults a chance to walk away from street violence by teaching them how to box on \'Idris Elba\'s Fight School\'.

He told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "I see history constantly repeating itself and can empathise with these kids. I believe there is a better way to teach people that you don\'t need knives to protect yourself.

"It\'s a proven fact that in urban areas where fight schools open violent crime drops dramatically which is why I wanted to do this project, in hope that we can change people\'s lives. I want this project to be an ongoing presence that will continue to provide support and education for the community for years to come."

The four-part BBC series will see seven youngsters learn various boxing techniques by former world class champions over six months as they work towards a big showcase finale.

BBC commissioning editor Michael Jochnowitz said: "Idris Elba\'s passion and enthusiasm for this project meant we simply had to join him on this very personal quest to help transform futures and give young people hope."

Executive producer Rick Murray said: "We hope we can really show that when people are given the right tools and attention, they avoid making decisions that have catastrophic consequences."

This comes after Idris trained to be a pro kickboxer back in 2017.