The Thor star, 43, has been posting workout videos and shirtless gym selfies on Instagram for weeks, and now he explains the footage is all part of a longtime dream to become a professional kickboxer.
Elba announced his plans on Tuesday (23Aug16), revealing a new TV docu-series, titled Idris Elba: Fighter, will document a year in his kickboxing training journey across Britain, Cuba, Japan, South Africa and Thailand.
The show will culminate with his first professional fight.
“It has been a lifelong ambition of mine to fight professionally,” said Elba in a statement. “Entering the ring to further test myself as a human being is a challenge I have been looking to take on for quite some time.”
Elba spent much of his early career training in kickboxing for fitness but he has never fought professionally.
“This is no act,” a press release confirming the series reads. “There is no script. This fight is real as are the potential repercussions.”
Elba is also producing the project through his production company Green Door Pictures. It will be broadcast on Discovery Networks International’s channels early next year (17).
It’s his latest venture for Discovery after launching his well-received show Idris Elba: No Limits on the channel last year (15).
During the series, the self-proclaimed motor maniac, broke the land speed world record by reaching speeds of 180 miles (290 kilometres) per hour in a Bentley Continental GT Speed on the Pendine Sands in Wales, where legendary race driver Sir Malcolm Campbell set the target in 1927.
