Idris Elba brings it home with Fight School on BritBox in June

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WHEN Idris Elba visited South Africa to shoot a film, he was struck by how the lives of township youngsters were transformed through a local boxing club. This was the impetus for his new series Idris Elba’s Fight School, which premieres on BritBox South Africa on 16 June 2022 – which, fittingly, is Youth Day.

He relates, “When you go into the township, you’re like, ‘Wow, this is how people live and how they survive.’ And the crime rate within the townships is high. I went to the township and there was a boxing gym there. These guys who had set up the fight school lowered the crime rate and got kids literally out of trouble. The trainers there really saw the value of giving these kids a place to come, train and stay away from crime. That was quite inspiring to watch and it stuck with me.”

This experience inspired Golden Globe winner Elba, the star of Luther (available on BritBox) and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, to embark on a life-changing and highly personal project, harnessing the transformative potential of boxing. Having also found purpose and direction at an inner-city boxing gym in his youth, he was determined to pay it forward.

Elba decided to set up his own fight school back home in the UK to empower young adults facing challenges such as poverty, crime and mental health issues. In Idris Elba’s Fight School eight young Brits are put through an intensive course of boxing training to arm themselves with discipline, ambition and mental resilience – tools that will empower them to change their lives for the better.

Working with some of the UK’s leading boxing coaches and life mentors, the recruits train twice a day, six days a week – with the aim of competing in an official amateur fight at one of the world’s most iconic boxing venues York Hall (London) in the space of just five months.

“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,” Elba said. “Looking back at my own experiences, I’m reminded of how powerful boxing can be for disadvantaged young people, giving them a sense of purpose. This was the inspiration behind Fight School.”

Says Chanika, 29, one of the participants, who joined the project to help her deal with personal trauma: “Learning to box was intense; it is not easy. You need to find a deeper purpose, but I did it and I loved it. Boxing is both mentally and physically stimulating. It gives you a purpose and drive to achieve something you don’t think you can do.”

Idris Elba’s Fight School is described by iNews as “a very personal project to turn young lives around” in which the actor, singer and activist gets hands-on to mentor his young recruits.

MORE HIGHLIGHTS IN JUNE

With World Environment Day falling on 5 June 2022 and the winter chill setting in, the time is ripe (no pun intended) to witness the four seasons through the eyes of Hugh Bonneville in Inside the Forest: Seasons of Wonder, in which he explores Kielder Forest, from the squirrels preparing their food stores in autumn to the orchids coming into full bloom in summer. On June 2.

Another timely offering to tie in with the environmental theme is the 2021 film The Trick, a conspiracy thriller and chilling cautionary tale that tracks the 2009 Climategate scandal, which dealt a potentially major blow to the credibility of the science behind climate change. June 2.

The Scapegoat is a feature film adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s 1957 novel of the same name, written and directed by BAFTA winner Charles Sturridge (Brideshead Revisited, Shackleton), tells the story of two very different men who have one thing in common – a face. In 1952, as Britain prepares for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, a jobless teacher meets his doppelgänger, a failed businessman – both played by Emmy winner Matthew Rhys (Brothers & Sisters, The Americans, Perry Mason). The Scapegoat is a darkly comic, morally complex and suspenseful thriller featuring compelling performances. June 2.

Sheridan Smith as Nina in The Scapegoat

DI Ray, new and exclusive to BritBox, sees Line of Duty’s Maya Sondhi reunite with Jed Mercurio to create a twisty new detective drama that tracks a murder investigation with links to organised crime while exploring the emotive subject of racism in the workplace. June 9.

Richard Hammond’s Workshop features the car buff taking on a new venture – restoring classic cars and motorbikes. With his trusty two-door sports car turned into a mean racer, he also announces the launch of The Smallest Cog Racing Team. June 23.

The BritBox app is available on Android TV, including enabled Smart TVs, Google Chromecast with GoogleTV, Nvidia Shield, MiBox and MiStick, plus Android and Apple mobile/tablets, FireTV, Samsung Smart TV and LG Smart TV. Enjoy one week’s free trial, sign up at R99.99 per month or R999.99 for 12 months, and register for email updates here.

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