Stephen Graham DELIVERS A RAW, HEART-WRENCHING PERFORMANCE IN THIS GRITTY BRITISH DRAMA THAT FANS SAY IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL COMING-OF-AGE STORIES EVER PUT ON SCREEN! Long before he became one of television’s most respected actors, Stephen Graham delivered a performance that many fans still call unforgettable. Set in working-class England in the late 1980s, this emotionally charged drama follows a young boy navigating friendship, identity, and the harsh realities of growing up in a divided community.

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Stephen Graham needs little introduction. The beloved Scouse star has been a dominant force in cinema and television since his breakout role as Combo in This Is England back in 2006. Since then, he has played everything from tightly wound chefs to undercover cops. Most recently, Graham portrayed the father of Bruce Springsteen in the newly released biopic, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere.

Focusing on his television appearances alone, Graham’s unforgettable portrayal of Al Capone in the award-winning Boardwalk Empire propelled him to global status. In 2019, he was reunited with his This is England co-star Vicky McClure in the fifth season of police drama Line of Duty. In recent years, Graham and his wife Hannah Walters have collaborated on projects such as A Thousand Blows and Adolescence, both receiving critical acclaim.

Below are some must-watch shows starring the inimitable Stephen Graham that you can watch right now.

This Is England ’86, ’88 and ‘90

stephen graham this is england channel 4Dean Rogers//Channel 4

Where to watch: Channel 4

After the success of the 2006 film, creator Shane Meadows went on to release three series to continue the story of Shaun (Thomas Turgoose), Lol (Vicky McClure), Woody (Joe Gilgun) and Combo (Graham). The coming-of-age drama is a raw and unfettered look into life in working class England during the mid-80s, and how politics, romance, racism and culture impact the characters.

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Boardwalk Empire

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Boardwalk Empire – Season 1: Trailer – Official HBO UK

Graham stars as Al Capone in this award-winning period crime drama. Set during the 1920s Prohibition era, the series centres around Enoch “Nucky” Thompson (played by Hollywood great, Steve Buscemi); a corrupt political figure that bootlegs liquor and becomes entangled with New Jersey’s criminal underbelly.

Line of Duty

Line of Duty, Rochenda Sandall, Stephen GrahamBBC

Where to watch: BBC iPlayer

Adrian Dunbar, Vicky McClure and Martin Compston form the formidable AC-12 division in the BBC hit drama. Every season, a new cast member comes onto the scene as the police officer under investigation by AC-12 – the likes of Lennie James, Keeley Hawes, Thandiwe Newton, Daniel Mays and Kelly Macdonald have filled this role. For the explosive fifth season, Graham played John Corbett, an undercover cop who heads up an organised crime group.

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Boiling Point

stephen graham and vinette robinson in boiling pointVertigo Releasing

Where to watch: BBC iPlayer

Fans of The Bear will love Boiling Point. Graham plays tightly wound chef Andy in this captivating miniseries – which luckily, is only four episodes long as the endless, stressful tension makes for an emotionally exhausting watch. The series came after the 2021 film of the same name, and picks up six months after the film ends; chef Carly (Vinette Robinson) has now opened her own restaurant with her ex-boss Andy’s staff.

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A Thousand Blows

a thousand blows season 2 release date cast trailerDisney+

Where to watch: Disney+

Graham stars and executively produces this gritty period drama, which tells the story of an all-female organised crime group and their rivals, a bare-knuckle boxing gang. Erin Doherty stars as Mary Carr, and Graham plays her nemesis, Henry “Sugar” Goodson. The starry cast brings with it an equally brilliant crew – Graham’s wife Hannah Walters created the concept for the show, and approached Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight with it. Some episodes are also directed by Ashley Walters.

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Adolescence

adolescence netflix true storyNetflix

Where to watch: Netflix

The cast of A Thousand Blows – Graham, Doherty and Walters – all collaborated once again in the groundbreaking series, Adolescence. When Jamie (Owen Cooper), a teenage boy is arrested for the murder of a female classmate, his family’s world is completely changed forever. The series sparked global conversation on masculinity, psychology and parenting, and received six Emmy awards this year.