Top Boy star Ashley Walters is worlds away from his drug dealing character in the hugely-successful Netflix series as he stars in a new PG Tips campaign.
The actor and former So Solid Crew member, 41, - know best for playing gang member Dushane Hill in Top Boy - takes centre stage in the campaign - the first TV ad from the brand in eight years.
It comes after the tea brand previously starred comedian and actor Johnny Vegas, 53, in their iconic ads.
The new ad starring Ashley is titled 'Rock Solid', with the full campaigning cost a whopping £12million.
It has a soundtrack by Ezra Collective and is directed by Oscar-winning Steve McQueen.
![Top Boy star Ashley Walters is worlds away from his drug dealing character in the hugely-successful Netflix series as he stars in a new PG Tips campaign](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/08/12/84606781-13395437-image-a-73_1715166703787.jpg)
Top Boy star Ashley Walters is worlds away from his drug dealing character in the hugely-successful Netflix series as he stars in a new PG Tips campaign
![The actor and former So Solid Crew member, 41, - know best for playing gang member Dushane Hill in Top Boy - takes centre stage in the campaign - the first TV ad from the brand in eight years](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/08/12/84606977-13395437-image-a-82_1715166760087.jpg)
The actor and former So Solid Crew member, 41, - know best for playing gang member Dushane Hill in Top Boy - takes centre stage in the campaign - the first TV ad from the brand in eight years
![It comes after the tea brand previously starred comedian and actor Johnny Vegas , 53, in their iconic ads](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/08/12/84607179-13395437-image-a-98_1715166964260.jpg)
It comes after the tea brand previously starred comedian and actor Johnny Vegas , 53, in their iconic ads
In the 70-second clip, Walters can be seen coaching himself 'out of the doldrums' over a cup of PG Tips.
He comes downstairs into the kitchen and speaks to a twin of himself as he asks: 'What's up bro? Is something bothering you?'
His other self then replied: 'I can't lie it's this new job - what if I'm not good enough?'
The other Ashley then offers him a cup of PG Tips and reassured him that he can take on anything he needs to.
He is dressed in a casual grey jumper at the kitchen table as he attempts to kick off his morning right.
On the concept, Karen Owen, global senior marketing executive at Lipton Teas and Infusions, which owns the brand, said: 'When you look at Gen Z culture, there's a real fear of burnout.
'They are not interested in coffee because that's burnout culture; it's pushing the problem down the road. They are much more about recovery and reconnecting with their self.'
It comes after Ashley Walters said the biggest regret of his life is when his children saw him being arrested after threatening a traffic warden back in 2002.
![The new ad starring Ashley and his 'twin' is titled 'Rock Solid' and cost a whopping £12million](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/08/12/84606773-13395437-image-a-74_1715166710671.jpg)
The new ad starring Ashley and his 'twin' is titled 'Rock Solid' and cost a whopping £12million
![It has a soundtrack by Ezra Collective and is directed by Oscar-winning Steve McQueen](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/08/12/84606771-13395437-image-a-75_1715166712993.jpg)
It has a soundtrack by Ezra Collective and is directed by Oscar-winning Steve McQueen
![He is dressed in a casual grey jumper at the kitchen table as he attempts to kick off his morning right](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/08/12/84606779-13395437-image-a-76_1715166714684.jpg)
He is dressed in a casual grey jumper at the kitchen table as he attempts to kick off his morning right
![He comes down and speaks to a twin of himself as he asks: 'What's up bro? Is something bothering you?' His other self then replied: 'I can't lie it's this new job - what if I'm not good enough?'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/08/12/84606783-13395437-image-a-77_1715166718396.jpg)
He comes down and speaks to a twin of himself as he asks: 'What's up bro? Is something bothering you?' His other self then replied: 'I can't lie it's this new job - what if I'm not good enough?'
![The other Ashley then offers him a cup of PG Tips and reassured him that he can take on anything he needs to](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/08/12/84606775-13395437-image-a-78_1715166720050.jpg)
The other Ashley then offers him a cup of PG Tips and reassured him that he can take on anything he needs to
![On the concept, Karen Owen, global senior marketing executive at Lipton Teas and Infusions, which owns the brand, said: 'When you look at Gen Z culture, there's a real fear of burnout. They are not interested in coffee because that's burnout culture'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/08/12/84606785-13395437-image-a-79_1715166721776.jpg)
On the concept, Karen Owen, global senior marketing executive at Lipton Teas and Infusions, which owns the brand, said: 'When you look at Gen Z culture, there's a real fear of burnout. They are not interested in coffee because that's burnout culture'
![Ashley is seen in Top Boy as east London drug dealer Dushane and his partner in crime Sully - played by rapper Kano](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/08/12/84607005-13395437-image-a-80_1715166753975.jpg)
Ashley is seen in Top Boy as east London drug dealer Dushane and his partner in crime Sully - played by rapper Kano
The star opened up about his life in a candid chat for the BBC's Louis Theroux Interviews where he spoke about his run ins with the law.
Ashley recalled how he once had a gun pulled on him while he was carrying his son Shayon, who is now 22, after he made a comment about someone copying his lyrics on the radio.
Following the incident, father-of-eight Ashley spent £1,300 on a pistol in order to 'protect himself'.
However in 2002, the actor was arrested when he lost his temper in a disagreement with a traffic warden and said: 'I'm going to shoot you.'
The TV star's partner Natalie Williams and their children Shayon and China, now 21, saw him being handcuffed and taken away by police.
Recalling the incident, he said: 'I wasn't actually going to shoot. I weren't willing to risk my liberty over shooting a traffic warden. But I mean, I made my comments, I said what I said.
'It was horrific. My biggest regret is that my kids were there. It was a big part of my life,' he admits. 'I didn't ever want to go back to prison.'
Ashley shares Shayon and Panerai, 19, and daughter China with his former partner Natalie Williams.
The Netflix star also has two young daughters Antonia and Ashleigh with another unnamed woman, while he raises Amiaya-Love and River and a stepson with his wife of seven years, actress Danielle Isaie.
Ashley, who ended up serving 18 months in prison, said he regretted following in his convict father's footsteps.
The actor, from Peckham in south East London, was raised by his mother Pamela while his father was in and out of prison.
He joined the So Solid Crew when he was 16 and established himself as Asher D.
![He joined the So Solid Crew when he was 16 and established himself as Asher D (seen in Top Boy)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/08/12/84606979-13395437-image-a-81_1715166756497.jpg)
He joined the So Solid Crew when he was 16 and established himself as Asher D (seen in Top Boy)
![It comes after Ashley Walters said the biggest regret of his life is when his children saw him being arrested after threatening a traffic warden back in 2002](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/08/12/78872273-13395437-The_actor_was_arrested_in_2002_when_he_lost_his_temper_in_a_disa-a-83_1715166773789.jpg)
It comes after Ashley Walters said the biggest regret of his life is when his children saw him being arrested after threatening a traffic warden back in 2002
Recalling his youth, he said: 'We live in a place where if young people are not fully occupied, then what are they doing? They're hanging around, maybe getting themselves into trouble.
'It was only when I got to maybe 16, I changed, as a kid. In those years is when I went out and I got in trouble, and joined So Solid.
'I wasn't rebelling against my mum, but it was rebelling against all of those things that she'd built up for me and how safe she kept me... I didn't grow up rich, but I had no reason to sell drugs or to be out on the street.
'But I was walking with some real gangsters at the time, so it was easy for me to become a target.'