Born in the Derbyshire town of Shirebrook and raised working on market stalls, Jason Statham was hardly the most obvious candidate for superstardom.

Yet he has become one of Hollywood's most sought-after leading men — despite this being far from the career he once envisioned.

From an early age, the 58 year old honed his skills in Chinese martial arts, kickboxing and karate, while also developing a passionate dedication to diving.

Indeed, his commitment to the sport was such that he went on to earn a place in Great Britain's national diving team, representing England at the 1990 Commonwealth Games.

The competition took place in New Zealand, and while he competed admirably, he fell short of a podium finish in all three of his events.

However, rather than dwelling on the disappointment, Statham found as one door closed, another swung open, and modelling opportunities soon came knocking.

Fronting campaigns for French Connection, Tommy Hilfiger and Levi's proved to be the springboard that propelled him towards an acting career.

His years spent working on the markets following his move to Great Yarmouth proved instrumental in securing his casting in the iconic crime capers Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch — both Guy Ritchie productions that catapulted him to fame.

The films were a huge box office triumph, launching the Derbyshire-born actor firmly into the Hollywood spotlight.

Though his diving days remain close to his heart, the subject appears to be something of a sore point for the action star. Speaking at the Los Angeles premiere of his film Mechanic: Resurrection, in 2016, he shared: "It's a bit of a sore point I never got to the Olympics.

"I just heard they got seven million or something for the diving per year. They deserve it. The divers we've got now are just terrific. I started too late. It probably wasn't my thing. I should have done a different sport."

The actor competed in the 10-metre, three-metre, and one-metre events, finishing 10th, 11th, and eighth respectively. These rankings fell short of securing him a place at the Olympics, yet he has maintained that his time in diving was far from wasted.

In a 2003 interview, Statham described his time on the national squad as a "great experience", adding that it taught him "discipline, focus, and certainly kept him out of trouble".

Despite this, during his early days as a model, Statham could still be found flogging fake perfumes and other goods from market stalls alongside his father.

Today, he continues to captivate audiences with his roles, frequently cast as a rugged, no-nonsense character, while his personal life tells quite a different story.

Statham has been married to model and actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley since 2016, having first got together in 2010, and the couple now have two children.

The family spent several years living in Beverly Hills before eventually returning to their roots and settling back in London.