Idris Elba: Our Knife Crime Crisis

Idris Elba: Our Knife Crime Crisis – a documentary

Knife crime is spreading across the UK, with an average of four people stabbed to death every week.

For Idris Elba, this isn’t just a statistic – it’s personal. Growing up in east London, where violence was a constant threat, he understands the critical choices that shape futures. Aware of how easily his own path could have gone in a different direction, Idris – actor, campaigner and man determined to make a difference – embarks on a mission to confront this crisis.

Why is knife crime rising in so many places? How do we stop it? Can we balance punishment with prevention?

Idris speaks with victims, offenders, police and grieving families, uncovering harsh truths and challenging stereotypes. While often seen as an inner-city problem affecting black and brown communities, the reality is broader: white offenders are the majority of those arrested for carrying knives, and rural areas like Avon & Somerset, Bedfordshire and Sussex have seen significant increases in the knife crime rate.

In the West Midlands, Idris learns of an unprovoked murder by two 12-year-olds. At Feltham Prison and Young Offender Institution, he meets perpetrators who feel they were driven to carry knives and hears warnings from the governor that by the time the boys are locked up, it’s often too late to turn their lives around.