logo
The King and Idris Elba team up for new Netflix documentary film

The King and Idris Elba team up for new Netflix documentary film

The film will explore The King's Trust – a youth charity set up by Charles when he was the Prince of Wales, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary – to highlight how the charity has helped young people around the world, documenting 'the power of believing in young people'.
The Luther star, who was a beneficiary of a grant from the trust, will accompany the King as he shares insights into his support for the charity.
Elba said: 'The King's Trust gave me an opportunity that changed my life.
'At a time when I didn't have the resources to pursue my ambitions, they offered real, practical support — including financial help — that helped me take those first steps to advance my career.
'Around the world, millions are still waiting for that one door to open. This documentary is about shining a light on what's possible when it does — and why the work of The King's Trust remains so important.'
Formerly known as The Prince's Trust, the charity was set up by Charles to help disadvantaged young people overcome challenging circumstances, get into employment or launch their own businesses.
It has since become one of the UK's leading youth organisations and has helped more than 1.3 million young people to date with celebrity ambassadors including former England football manager Sir Gareth Southgate and presenters Ant and Dec.
Jonathan Townsend, UK chief executive of The King's Trust, said: 'At its heart, this is a documentary about the power of believing in young people. It's about an idea, driven by a young Prince who was determined to make a positive difference, that when young people are supported to succeed, we all succeed.
'Almost 50 years on, the momentum behind this idea has seen more than 1.3 million young people supported in over 20 countries around the world, including more than a million in the UK alone, through the work of The King's Trust.
'Nobody understands the impact of this work better than those who have experienced the support we offer first hand. As a long-term supporter and former beneficiary of The Trust himself, Idris will undoubtedly bring a unique perspective to this groundbreaking documentary as he peels back the layers of our story and shows how our life-changing work is as relevant today as it has ever been.'
The film will be directed by Bafta-winning filmmaker Ashley Francis-Roy, with young people supported by the Trust helping the production team to build experience in film and television.
The documentary is produced by 22 Summers, the production company co-founded by Elba, and due to be released in autumn 2026.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Queen Camilla's tense encounter with Princess Diana that silenced a room during a birthday bash
Queen Camilla's tense encounter with Princess Diana that silenced a room during a birthday bash

Daily Mail​

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Queen Camilla's tense encounter with Princess Diana that silenced a room during a birthday bash

Their love lives became perhaps the most famous royal love triangle in history, with as many dramatic twists and turns as any best-selling romance novel. While the public was only made aware of Charles and Camilla's affair and of the then-Prince and Princess of Wales ' marriage woes in the early 90s, within royal social circles the drama had been playing out for years. Writing in his book about King Charles III's life - titled Rebel King: The Making of a Monarch - author Tom Bower revealed a particularly testy encounter between the three that played out at a birthday party in 1989. The altercation occurred when Diana arrived unexpectedly at a party for Annabel Goldsmith in her home in southwest London, where Camilla and her then-husband Andrew Parker Bowles were also guests. Bower wrote: 'Diana arrived unexpectedly at a birthday party at Annabel Goldsmith's house in Ham, near Richmond. 'Charles was with Diana, while both the Parker Bowleses were already there. As the room fell suddenly silent, Diana challenged Camilla to leave Charles alone. In response Camilla 'controlled her fury' and told the princess that her behaviour was 'unacceptable in a private house'. Bower said: 'The princess, she said was poorly placed to complain. While Camilla confined herself to a single, conventional relationship, Diana, she had been told by friends, was "working her way through the life guards".' 'Camilla's intimates blamed the bruising encounter on Diana for creating "such a public scene". Others accused Camilla of b***hiness.' In 1989, Charles and Camilla had been spending more and more time together. They holidayed in Turkey together along with Camilla's husband. The future Queen consort was pictured wearing a bracelet that was emblazoned with the initials G and F - a reference to Charles and Camilla's pet names for each other, Gladys and Fred. Diana and Charles separated in 1992 the same year the princess' authorised biography - Diana: Her True Story - was published. It contained the first public mention of the affair between Charles and Camilla. It would be another year before the press received undeniable proof of the affair following the 'tampongate' scandal, which saw transcripts of an intimate phone conversation between the couple from four years earlier made public. Bower claims that from then on 'the battle of the Waleses had aroused global fascination', helped in part by the role each party played in the drama. He said: 'Britain was divided about where the guilt lay. The majority, especially women, blamed Charles. They believed the version written by Richard Kay, the Daily Mail journalist and Diana's confidant: "I knew a girl of utter simplicity, even naivety - frightened, uncertain and delightful company".' Diana did not come off scot-free, however. Bower wrote: 'Visitors to Balmoral described a very different figure. Their accounts portrayed a manipulative woman intent on wrecking relationships, especially her own with Charles and with his mother.' And, of course, Camilla faced her own criticism for her part in the love triangle. Bower added: 'Blame also fell on Camilla. Many times, her critics believed, she could have stood back to allow Charles and Diana to reconcile. Instead, she coldly pushed her rival aside.' Camilla met her first husband - Guards Officer Andrew Parker Bowles - but before they married the couple found themselves in one of the most bizarre royal love triangles. Camilla and Andrew broke up in 1970 and a year later Charles entered the picture. He and Camilla immediately hit it off and a young romance began to blossom. However, Queen Elizabeth II and the rest of the family were not so enthused about Charles' newfound love, in part due to Camilla's on-again-off-again relationship with Andrew, which they feared could cause issues for the heir to the throne. The Queen Mother organised a secret meeting with both the Shand and Parker Bowles families, where a wedding date was swiftly agreed. The couple married in 1973. Charles and Camilla remained close friends throughout the rest of the 1970s and they were frequently spotted at polo matches together. They then rekindled their relationship in 1980 with Andrew - who had multiple affairs - reportedly supportive of the relationship. By 1981 Charles was married to Princess Diana. But it was not a fairytale marriage, with the Princess very aware of his continued affections for his former girlfriend. The omnipresent Camilla would continue to haunt Diana's relationship with Charles and the Princess of Wales would go on to declare 'there were three of us in this marriage' in a notorious BBC interview with Martin Bashir in 1995. By 1986, Charles and Camilla's affair was in full swing once again and Diana had embarked on her own relationship, with former army major James Hewitt. Once their relationship became public knowledge, Camilla faced intense media scrutiny because she was seen as the usurper of the much-beloved Princess Diana. Journalist Tina Brown wrote: 'And the press went after her with such viciousness. I mean, the really appalling sexist comments about Camilla - I mean, they used to call her, you know, old bag, old trout.' She added that Camilla would sign her letters to Charles 'your devoted old bag', as she had been labelled as such so often. Once Camilla and Andrew had divorced in 1995 - and with the finalisation of Charles and Diana's own divorce a year later - the couple were free to start dating privately, with Charles hosting a lavish party for Camilla's 50th at Highgrove. The tragic death of Princess Diana in August 1997 and the outpouring of grief from the public that followed meant Charles had to pause his efforts to rehabilitate her image. Charles then resumed a large-scale PR campaign with Mark Bolland at the helm. During the spin doctor's reign in the late 1990s and early 2000s he performed something of a miracle, taking Charles' popularity rating from 20 per cent after Diana's death to 75 per cent. Bolland also orchestrated the media coverage of the prince's first photographed public appearance with Camilla at the Ritz Hotel in January 1999 - dubbed 'Operation Ritz'. But Charles also had to get the Royal Family on his side. This started with Prince Harry and Prince William, who met Camilla for the first time in 1998 at Highgrove. With the late Queen's approval they married in 2005 but it was far from a conventional affair. The day was broken up into two sections - with Charles and Camilla taking part in a civil ceremony at Windsor's Guildhall, where they were legally married, before they travelled to St George's Chapel for their blessing from the Archbishop of Canterbury. Camilla also eschewed the Princess of Wales title out of respect for her husband's late former wife Diana and was known by the rather less grand title of the Duchess of Cornwall instead. One final hurdle Camilla faced was what her title would be once Charles became King. Palace guidance said she would only ever be known as 'Princess Consort' - until Queen Elizabeth II ended years of uncertainty over the issue by assuring Camilla's future status in an historic Platinum Jubilee statement. In her surprise announcement in February 2022, Her late Majesty declared it was her 'sincere wish' for her daughter-in-law to be fully acknowledged upon Charles becoming King. Since Charles became King, following the death of his mother on September 8 2022, the now Queen Camilla is one of the most prominent members of the Royal Family - and has become an integral and accepted part of it.

Succession star Brian Cox emotional over gameshow contestants - 'they didn't make it'
Succession star Brian Cox emotional over gameshow contestants - 'they didn't make it'

Daily Mirror

time4 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

Succession star Brian Cox emotional over gameshow contestants - 'they didn't make it'

Brian Cox continues his Bond-like antics as The Controller in 007: Road To A Million for the game show's second season. But he hasn't quite moved on from its first series... He's conquered the worlds of TV, stage and cinema but Brian Cox reckons his role as The Controller in 007: Road To A Million is one of his finest dramatic creations to date - he even keeps former contestants in his thoughts. ‌ The Emmy-winning actor returns to guide (and torment) a new batch of contestants in their quest for James Bond -worthy glory – and a shot at winning the £1 million jackpot. However, this isn't just a repeat of the first series. ‌ 'There's more interaction between me and the contestants, which is a great improvement,' says Brian Cox, 79. 'It's also infinitely more Bond-related.' ‌ The premise of 007: Road T o A Million is as bold as it is brutal: eight pairs of everyday people – ranging from married couples and siblings to best friends, father and son – travel the globe to take on a series of high-octane, nerve-wrecking challenges directly inspired by the Bond franchise. From climbing sky-high towers to facing sharks and decoding clues, the contestants must push their limits and tackle each mission as a team before knocking out the competition, knowing the two slowest pairs will face off in the dreaded Killer Question – an elimination riddle that lays everything on the line. 'It's infinitely more dramatic than it was the last time,' Brian says. And he would know. ‌ As The Controller, Brian is the ever-present puppet master, coolly orchestrating the chaos from the shadows. Contestants don't meet him until they absolutely have to – and it's often under emotionally charged circumstances. 'They were nervous,' says Brian. 'It's entertaining because you have this mysterious guy who's running the show, and you don't know where he's coming from. He can be very strict but he's also open.' This series the show expands its James Bond-verse further, with locations including London's Freemasons' Hall, the picturesque peaks of Switzerland and the lush terrain of Thailand. And Brian's lair has had an upgrade of its own. ‌ 'I now have an assistant, which feels very Bond,' says Succession star Brian. 'She gives me information about the contestants as I watch them on monitors. She did a great job.' Though emotionally reserved, The Controller isn't immune to the human drama that unfolds before his eyes. 'That's part of the character,' Brian says. 'He looks at these people and he sees the human flaws. Of course, the human flaw is exacerbated by the ambition of the individual human. ‌ 'One father and son made a mistake at one point. I felt empathetic to that because it was such a disappointment to them both, and I could identify with their frustration and their pain,' Brian reveals. 'One isn't unaware of how the show affects people. That's something The Controller is also aware of. He's not openly compassionate, but he's not without sensibility and sensitivity to who they are.' ‌ Off-screen, Brian says it's highly unlikely that he would sign up for a globe-trotting obstacle course himself. 'Personally, I would never want to put myself into that situation,' he says. 'I'm not very competitive. I love watching sports, but I'm not a particularly sporty person, and I would never bungee jump in a million years.' The show requires more than just physical courage, Brian says. 'Not only is it physically demanding but they're exposing themselves to scrutiny constantly, and that's tough. I'm not sure that's something I would particularly like to do. I have respect for the contestants, because they put themselves in that frame of mind.' ‌ Brian imagines his competitive strengths would lie in something less physical and more cerebral. 'That's where I would excel, because I understand how people tick, and I understand people's strengths and weaknesses,' he explains. Ultimately for Brian, it's the emotional depth of the show – not just the drama – that keeps him engaged. 'I remember in the last series I was particularly touched by Josh and Kamara who went through quite a lot together. I was very affected by them. 'They didn't end up making it to the final, but there was something very touching about them coming together. People in the show, when they're under a certain scrutiny, they behave in a certain way that is quite moving.' And, of course, this wouldn't be a Bond-inspired adventure without its signature flair. Each episode is sprinkled with nods to the franchise's most iconic films, from Thunderball and GoldenEye to Casino Royale and Spectre – but can you spot them all?

King Charles launches teddy bear with eye-watering price tag
King Charles launches teddy bear with eye-watering price tag

Scottish Sun

time9 hours ago

  • Scottish Sun

King Charles launches teddy bear with eye-watering price tag

The bear is definitely not a gift for children Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE King has been turned into a teddy bear — but shoppers will need a king's ­ransom to be able to afford one. The royal gift is available for £269 at Charles's Highgrove House country pile in Gloucestershire. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 A King Charles teddy bear has gone on sale for £269 2 The bear wears Charles' Royal Victorian Order Sash and and a replica of the Order of the Garter star Credit: Getty Would-be buyers are told: 'Expertly crafted in England by the renowned Merrythought team, this exquisite royal teddy bear is made from the finest silver-coloured mohair plush combined with soft cotton velvet for a luxurious feel. The bear features 'deep blue eyes and a hand-stitched smile, capturing a wise and regal expression that reflects the character of the reigning monarch'. And the hard-sell continues: 'Its left paw is beautifully embroidered in gold thread with King Charles III's official royal cypher, highlighting its exclusive royal connection. 'Draped in the authentic Royal Victorian Order Sash—crafted from official ribbon and accented with Italian gold tassels—the bear also proudly displays a detailed enamel and gold-plated replica of the prestigious Order of the Garter star, fastened with a gold-capped stud. 'The Order of the Garter Star symbolises the oldest and most esteemed British Order of Chivalry, worn by His Majesty at significant royal ceremonies, including the 2023 coronation. 'This limited-edition collectible teddy bear honours King Charles III's roles as monarch and as a dedicated serviceman of the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.' But the thought of anyone cosying up to the cuddly Charles is given short shrift. It adds: 'This item is strictly intended for adult collectors and is not a toy.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store