Why Idris Elba should be in charge of all reality TV shows - review of bBC’s ‘Idris Elba’s Fight School’
I assumed I was always going to associate Idris Elba with The Wire. Made my peace with it too, because Stringer Bell is an incredible character, (even if he haunted my dreams, creepily unzipping Donette’s pink velour tracksuit) but Fight School finally made him a Cockney to me!
Better than that, he has delivered top notch reality TV, minus the cynical sob stories, lip filler and corny catchphrases. Fight School gave more reality in 5 episodes than a whole series of Love Island, or The Voice, could ever hope to achieve.
The brief: Get 8 people physically and mentally fit enough to compete in a boxing match. To do so, they were given communal housing for five months, a personal training schedule, mentoring and access to psychological support.
Why boxing? Without the fanfare and sappy backing track, Elba explained, “I was at a crossroads in my life when I found boxing. What I gained at the gym has stuck with me and I still use to this day. I want to pass that on.“
From THE man’s own mouth.
What makes it different?
Idris Elba - As the celebrity meant to draw an audience, he has clearly done more than just offer the idea for the show. He is present in the gym, at the house, and during extra challenges. He doesn’t avoid the conflicts that naturally arise either, he leans into them and enforces boundaries, but without any ego. He even invited all the contestants to a premier, allowing them to walk the red carpet.
It’s rare to see such a celebrity heavyweight balancing their role in the series without either outshining, or being condescending towards, the plebs. A perfect example is in one of the challenges, he kitted up with the others to swim but they don’t show him doing so, keeping the focus on the others. He wears practical clothes too!
The 8 people chosen to train - Their ages; at 37, it might sound weird I’m celebrating this when the range was 18 - 29 year olds, but that’s quite broad considering the time commitment and sport. It feels like these people could actually incorporate boxing into their lives moving forward, or use it as a jumping off point, rather than just viewing the resources provided as a perk in a vacuum.
As a woman who has found so much joy in a contact sport, roller derby being my poison, I was chuffed that others were afforded this opportunity. One of the lead coaches is also a woman, Rachel Bower; who is both an England Talent Pathway Coach and a Met Police Detective Sergeant.
The backgrounds, ethnicities, and reasons the participants want to be part of Fight School are diverse.
It was impressive to see people recruited from a range of places in the UK, rather than the show being Londoncentric, which would have been easy enough to do. I had the biggest soft spot for Jess, a fellow South Wallian.
The restraint - There are moments where there has clearly been some seriously heavy emotional weightlifting in the background, maybe even unfolding before the camera, but we are only given necessary details for context. Addiction, domestic violence, and illness, addressed but not exploited for memes.
The outcome - Without spoiling the last episode, you’d assume there can only be one of two outcomes: making it to the fight or failing to do so. But, because life is rarely as simple as we predict, it doesn’t go that way. It was refreshing to see the show allow space for alternate endings, rather than insist everyone fit a single mould, they really honoured the individual growth that way, which was the whole point of the programme!
Why all reality TV should be like this:
Because this felt real.
There was so little artifice, which is surely, the point of reality TV? I could see myself in the people on the screen, little bits of me in all of them. Yes, all! This cast didn’t include caricatures, or intentionally pit personalities against each other, neither did it dress-up the highs or lows of committing to something for such an intense period of time. I could understand tensions bubbling up, empathise with emotions and fears that surfaced, and share in the fizzing hope that was the consistent undercurrent.
As a Strictly fan, something I’m also compelled to admit I noted, is that boxing is a solo sport. Ultimately, regardless of the bonds the 8 had with each other, or their trainers, they had to face down a competitor alone. Then get hit in the face. On camera. There’s no reassuring hand on the back, or eye contact, to lean on.
For me, what made Fight School worth watching, was the way lessons were learned. The ‘students‘ viewed the whole thing as a chance for a new path and beginning, many saw it as a way to ‘finally‘ prove their worth. Those are HIGH stakes, being played out on camera.
Unlike vanity projects, of the Love Island or Big Brother ilk, these people were not going to be allowed to play for the camera; they were unlikely to become influencers or get a deal with Pretty Little Things; but they still committed to five months away from their support networks, and 6 days a week of 2 gruelling training sessions a day.
It felt good to actually respect and like people more after seeing them under pressure. Just like Idris Elba, my own dad used boxing as a release and a way off the streets, for discipline and focus. Each generation should have that opportunity, I was geekier and had Duke of Edinburgh, but the generations since me aren’t being afforded the same access. So, it’s timely, for reality TV to be highlighting the importance of grassroots provisions in our communities. Austerity measures since 2008’s recession had already resulted in funding cuts and closures, but now we are in the mire of Brexshit and the pandemic and we must ensure these spaces are protected.
You can find further information on Idris Elba’s Fight School HERE and if you do watch, let me know in the comments what your favourite moment was.
