Ashley Walters and Noel Clarke donated to a township in Cape Town, where they filmed part of 'Bulletproof: South Africa'.

Ashley Walters and Noel Clarke in Bulletproof South Africa

Ashley Walters and Noel Clarke in Bulletproof South Africa

The pair have reunited for the new series of the Sky One crime drama, which was filmed in the South African city, and Noel has admitted they found the disparity "heart-wrenching" in one of townships, so much so he was keen to show his kids to teach them about life's differences.

Speaking to BANG Showbiz and other media in a Q&A ahead of the series three launch, he said: "It was just a story no matter where it was set. We just wanted to tell a crime story in that city and not really fixate too much on what was going on.

"That's just the type of show it is. There's lots of other shows where you go, 'Well actually, you want to make a point of highlighting those issues because they're so important.' And they are.

"We went there on a day off and we donated, and we spent time.

"I wanted my children to see ... they will never ask me for four sweets again, because there are kids who don't have any sweets.

"The show is really about telling a crime story in that city, so we didn't really focus on the disparity.

"It's quite heart-wrenching to be honest.

"If I get going, as a writer, and I focus on the disparity it wouldn't be 'Bulletproof'. It would be a completely different show.

"Because there's so many things that upset me about it, and so many things I would want to say about it."

Ashley admitted it was tough to see the contrast between the township and the place where he and Noel were staying during filming, but he insisted that while there is plenty of poverty in the city, there is also "a lot of positivity".

Ashley added: "We and Noel took our families to the township we were filming in on a separate day from filming.

"We had a walk around and met some of the local community leaders, and saw the local nursery and engaged with the local kids.

"It was hard seeing that and the contrast between where we were staying. Being inside the townships and the disparity of wealth is amazing out there.

"There's extreme wealth and there's extreme poverty. It's really hard to take in.

"The quality of life is amazing over there when it comes to people making the most of what they have, and how happy they still are. The smiles on their faces, and how they embraced us when we came was amazing.

"There's a lot of positivity over there, even though there's a lot of poverty as well."

Meanwhile, the pair will reunite for a fourth series after Sky ordered another instalment of the programme, which will be filmed in and around London later this year.

'Bulletproof: South Africa' airs on January 20th at 9pm on Sky One.

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