If walls could talk, the halls of King Charles' London home, Clarence House, would certainly have a few tales to tell – one of which being the time when rapper, Tinie Tempah, and actor, Tom Hardy, met during a royal engagement - a meeting which turned out to be life-changing for Tinie, real name Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu.
The life-altering encounter took place at a Prince's Trust roundtable event in December 2018, hosted by then-Prince Charles and his now estranged son, Prince Harry, to tackle youth violence and knife crime. Speaking exclusively to HELLO! at Capital's Jingle Bell Ball, the 37-year-old rapper recalled meeting the Peaky Blinders actor during the event. Watch the moment below…
Reminiscing on the event at Clarence House, Tinie told HELLO!: "That was when Tom Hardy introduced me to the world of Brazilian Ju-Jitsu. It was random, we were waiting to meet the King, [Tom] told me about Ju-Jitsu, he invited me over to his gym to train. Now I've been doing it for six or seven years, and it was definitely something that impacted my life."
The rapper certainly seems dedicated, writing on Instagram in April of this year: "When I started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu I wanted to challenge myself within a completely different art form to the one I feel most comfortable and accomplished in.
"It's one of the most nerve-wracking experiences to put yourself in an arena with more experienced fighters where only one person can win. I had to learn to put my ego to the side and persevere through all of the sparring, injuries, defeats, you name it."
Explaining how the practice has changed his life, he continued: "Five + years into my journey it has become a necessity in my life. The lessons I have learned along the way have made me better mentally physically and spiritually and I've been able to transfer the skills and use elements when creating/performing music and other aspects of life."
A growing trend
"Tinie isn't the only one fond of martial arts; according to a 2024 Pinterest report, searches for jiu jitsu were up by 30% that year, and the passion for the practice is still gaining momentum. Clubs blending elite Brazilian jiu jitsu with high-end boutique wellness facilities - complete with features such as saunas and cold plunges - are popping up all over London, proving the medium's wide appeal. Of the practice, the high-end Arma club in Clapham, which blends jiu jitsu with wellness, says of the art: 'It's one of the most effective ways to build fitness, confidence, and practical self-defence.'"
Tom Hardy's martial arts training
It's no surprise that Tom introduced Tinie Tempah to the martial art – he is hugely dedicated himself, even entering (and winning!) the 2022 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Open Championship, a competition held in Milton Keynes.
Tom reportedly took up the practice when training for his 2011 film, Warrior, which saw him star as a mixed martial arts competitor. He told The Guardian of his prep for the role: "I did two hours boxing a day, two hours muay thai, two hours ju jitsu followed by two hours choreography and two hours of weightlifting seven days a week for three months."
Now, 14 years later, he is still committed to the practice – and we suspect he's introduced more than just Tinie Tempah to the martial art!
Interview by Celine Ponio Bagtas