Idris Elba has revealed how he had to get over his acrophobia for a new TV show.
The Luther star had to fulfil challenges such as rally car racing, aerobatics and drag racing for Discovery’s Idris Elba: No Limits, and admitted that the aerobatics were the hardest task.
“The biggest struggle for me is dealing with my fear of heights. Comfort zone-wise, this is pushing my fear factor to the limit,” the actor said.
Idris, who will reprise his role as maverick detective John Luther in the BBC crime drama for a TV special later this year, enjoyed the driving challenges.
“Driving is what I like to do – it’s on the ground! Rally driving was always on the TV back in the day when I was kid,” he recalled.
“My dad worked at Ford and he used to bring home old steering wheels and I used to have them on my lap pretending to be a rally driver.”
Idris also enjoyed drag racing, saying: “I’d never felt anything like that in my life. I thought we were going towards the sky, it was that intense!
“And then it was eight seconds of just the most intense power – I’ve never had power that intense in my life. It’s incredible. I was genuinely scared.”
Idris Elba: No Limits airs exclusively on Discovery Channel on July 6 at 9pm.
