Estate Born Success

Eric Kofi Abrefa opens up about growing up in South London, his Ghanaian heritage and how both shaped his sense of who he is.

He reflects on feeling too British for Ghana and too Ghanaian for Britain. Eric speaks candidly about what it feels like to have roots in two places and still find yourself questioning where you belong.

The conversation also explores his journey as an actor, from working alongside Brad Pitt to landing roles in projects with 50 Cent. He looks back on those milestones and what it felt like to find himself working with people he’d known from the screen.

Even with those credits to his name, Eric admits he still doesn’t quite believe he’s made it. He reflects on what making it means to him and how he thinks about success while he’s still working towards what he wants.

Eric also considers a question that runs through his story. How much are you willing to do to get where you want to go? He talks about the work it takes to pursue the career you want and what you’re prepared to put into it along the way.

An honest conversation about South London, identity, belonging, ambition and what it means to make it on your own terms.

Eric Kofi Abrefa | Estate Born Success — Episode 005
Hosted by Ellie Prohan.

Estate Born Success uncovers the stories of people from council estates who went on to make their mark across music, sport, entertainment, business and culture.

Where you come from doesn't define where you're going.

Follow Estate Born Success for new episodes, clips and conversations.

Instagram @ EstateBornSuccess
Tik-Tok @ EstateBornSuccess

Anton Ferdinand opens up about growing up in a close-knit community in Peckham, the influence of his mum and how the people around him helped shape the man he became.

He reflects on the role his mum played in his life and the wider community, the values she passed on and the lasting impact of losing her. Anton speaks candidly about grief, what it means to carry that loss and why he feels he has never fully recovered from her passing.

The conversation also explores his experience of building a football career while being compared to his older brother, Rio Ferdinand. He discusses finding his own identity, living with those comparisons and making his own mark in the game.

Anton looks back on his first experience of racism and the impact of the Premier League racism scandal on his life beyond football. He opens up about the emotional toll of racial injustice and the effects that continue long after the headlines have moved on.

Through his charity work and documentary, Anton has heard from thousands of people who have experienced racial injustice. He reflects on what those stories have revealed, why people need to be heard and what he believes must change to tackle racism in football.

An honest conversation about community, a mother’s influence, grief, brotherhood, identity, racism and using your voice to create change.

Anton Ferdinand | Estate Born Success — Episode 005 Hosted by Ellie Prohan.

Estate Born Success uncovers the stories of people from council estates who went on to make their mark across music, sport, entertainment, business and culture.

Where you come from doesn't define where you're going. This episode includes discussion of bereavement, grief, racism and racial abuse.

Follow Estate Born Success for new episodes, clips and conversations.

Instagram @ EstateBornSuccess Tik-Tok @ EstateBornSuccess

Daryll Neita opens up about her journey from growing up on a council estate to competing on the Olympic stage — sharing the ambition, setbacks and personal challenges behind becoming the fourth fastest woman in the world.

She reflects on her upbringing and how her background made the path to the top harder. Daryll talks about pursuing her ambitions while navigating those barriers, offering a personal perspective on what it takes to reach the highest level of sport.

Daryll also speaks candidly about racing at the Olympics while on her period, bringing an often overlooked part of elite sport into the conversation. Behind the performances watched by millions are experiences that viewers rarely hear athletes discuss openly.

The conversation explores her recovery after breaking her foot and returning to running within six weeks. She looks back on a setback that interrupted her training and the determination behind getting back on the track.

Alongside those challenges, Daryll reflects on becoming the fourth fastest woman in the world and the journey behind that achievement. Her story offers a glimpse beyond the results, into the person carrying the ambition and pressure of competing at the top.

From her estate upbringing to the Olympic track, this is a conversation about resilience, opportunity, periods in sport, injury and pursuing success when your starting point makes the journey harder.

Daryll Neita | Estate Born Success — Episode 004
Hosted by Ellie Prohan.

Estate Born Success uncovers the stories of people from council estates who went on to make their mark across music, sport, entertainment, business and culture.

Where you come from doesn't define where you're going.

Follow Estate Born Success for new episodes, clips and conversations.

Instagram: @EstateBornSuccess
TikTok: @EstateBornSuccess

Tommy Mallet opens up about the experiences that have completely reshaped the way he sees success, family and the person he wants to become.He reflects on changing his name to Tommy Fordham and what that decision represents, moving away from the identity people became familiar with and stepping into a new chapter of his life.Tommy speaks candidly about experiencing extreme financial highs and lows, from having millions in the bank to watching everything he had built disappear. He discusses what losing that level of wealth taught him about money, ego, identity and what really matters when the material things are stripped away.The conversation also explores one of the most difficult periods of his life. Tommy talks openly about the loss of a baby and how the experience affected both him and his family, fundamentally changing his perspective on life and the things he once considered important.Looking back at growing up in Islington, Tommy reflects on the values, morals and codes he was raised around, and why he believes that way of thinking is becoming increasingly rare. He discusses the decline of what he describes as a dying breed of people raised with strong principles, respect and accountability, and how he feels society has changed.Tommy also shares the mindset that helped him transform his own life, explaining how changing the way you think, setting clear goals and refusing to accept your current circumstances can help you create a completely different future.An honest conversation about money, grief, identity, fatherhood, morals, mindset and rebuilding your life when everything changes.Tommy Fordham | Estate Born Success — Episode 003Hosted by Ellie Prohan.Estate Born Success uncovers the stories of people from council estates who went on to make their mark across music, sport, entertainment, business and culture.Where you come from doesn't define where you're going.This episode includes discussion of pregnancy loss, grief and financial hardship.Follow Estate Born Success for new episodes, clips and conversations.Instagram @EstateBornSuccessTikTok @EstateBornSuccess

ArrDee opens up about his rapid rise to fame during lockdown, going from growing up with very little in Brighton to becoming one of the UK’s most recognisable young rappers almost overnight.

He reflects on his childhood, the sacrifices his mum made and the lengths she went to hide their financial struggles from him. Now a father himself, ArrDee speaks candidly about being abandoned by his own dad, how that experience has shaped the relationship he wants to have with his daughter and the responsibility he feels to give her something different.

The conversation also explores the darker side of success. ArrDee talks openly about his relationship with drugs and alcohol, addiction, pressure and what stress can really look like behind the image people see publicly.

Now navigating his career as an independent artist, he explains why he chose to become unsigned, what he has learned about the music industry and the advice he would give to the younger version of himself trying to find a way out and make something of his life.

An honest conversation about poverty, fame, fatherhood, addiction, independence and growing up in public.

Mak 10 opens up about growing up surrounded by music, navigating badness and criminality, and becoming part of the foundations of UK Grime and Garage — a journey that took him from trying to find his own feet to DJing wirelessly on the streets and working alongside some of the most important names in British music.

He looks back on being raised in a musical family and the early experiences that shaped his ear, taste and obsession with sound. At the same time, Mak reflects on the realities of growing up around environments where badness and criminality could easily become part of everyday life, the choices he faced along the way, and the process of figuring out who he wanted to become.

Mak explains where DJing really started for him, the culture that existed before social media and streaming, and how taking music directly into the streets became part of his story. He recalls finding his own path through music and discovering something that could give him purpose, identity and direction.

He also reflects on working with Grime legends including Wiley and Dizzee Rascal, witnessing the growth of a movement that would go on to change British music, and what it was like being around the artists, DJs and communities helping to build that sound before the rest of the world caught up.

Mak speaks candidly about his struggles with substance abuse, the realities behind some of the highs and lows of his journey, and the lessons that have come from navigating addiction, difficult environments and the pressures that surrounded him.

The conversation also turns to the next generation. Mak shares what he believes young people actually need from schools to prepare them for careers in music, media and entertainment — and why traditional education can often fail to recognise the creative talent, ambition and potential sitting inside the classroom.

From growing up around badness and criminality to finding his own identity through music, from wireless DJ sets in the streets to working alongside pioneers of Grime, this is a conversation about survival, addiction, music, community, education, opportunity and finding your own path when the traditional route was never designed for you.

Mak 10 | Estate Born Success — Episode 001

Hosted by Ellie Prohan.

Estate Born Success uncovers the stories of people from council estates who went on to make their mark across music, sport, entertainment, business and culture.

Where you come from doesn't define where you're going.

This episode includes discussion of substance abuse, addiction and criminality.

Follow Estate Born Success for new episodes, clips and conversations.

#EstateBornSuccess #Mak10 #EllieProhan #Grime #UKGarage #GrimeMusic #Wiley #DizzeeRascal #UKMusic #DJCulture #UKPodcast #LondonCulture #MusicPodcast #GrimeCulture

Estate Born Success hosted by Ellie Prohan is a groundbreaking podcast that shines a light on some of the most inspiring success stories in music, sport, entertainment, and beyond - with a unique twist, each special guest shares one powerful commonality—they were all born and raised on an estate.

In this series, Ellie draws out raw, unfiltered, and deeply personal conversations with some of the world’s biggest names, uncovering the realities of their childhood and the challenges they faced. From overcoming adversity to breaking barriers, Estate Born Success captures the resilience, determination, and hustle that transformed their lives.

Expect fresh perspectives, untold stories, and a celebration of those whohave defied the odds to achieve greatness. This is more than a podcast—it's a movement, proving that where you come from doesn’t define where you’re going.