‘Top Boy’ star Ashley Walters recalls the biggest regret of his life
Ashley Walters has said the biggest regret of his life is when his children saw him being arrested in 2002.
The actor, known for playing Dushane Hill in Top Boy, reflected on his past arrest during an episode of Louis Theroux Interviews.
In the episode, Walters recalled how he spent £1,300 on a pistol to “protect himself” after someone pulled a gun out on him while carrying his baby son, following a comment he made on the radio about someone copying his lyrics for So Solid Crew.
The actor was later arrested in 2002 for possessing an illegal gun after having an argument with a traffic warden, where he made some “harsh comments that involved firearms”. At the time of his arrest in London, his partner Natalie Williams and their children saw him being taken away by police.
“It was horrific,” Walters recalled in the BBC show. “My biggest regret was that my kids were there.”
Walters, aged 19 at the time, was sentenced to 18 months in a young offenders’ institution, and ended up serving seven months.
“It was a tough time but it was a long time ago,” Walters added. “It was a big part of my life and I didn’t ever want to go back [to prison].”
After he was released from prison, Walters had his acting breakthrough in 2004’s Bullet Boy. The film led to roles in Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, Life And Lyrics, Sky series Bulletproof and Top Boy, which originally aired on Channel 4 before it was revived by Netflix.
Top Boy concluded this year following the show’s fifth season. Alongside Walters, the show starred Kane ‘Kano‘ Robinson, Jasmine Jobson and Simbi Ajikawo.
Walters is a father to eight children. He shares three children, two sons and a daughter, with his ex-partner Natalie, two daughters with another unnamed woman, and a son and a daughter with his wife Danielle Isaie. He is also a stepfather to Danielle’s son.
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Adam Starkey
NME
