Stephen Graham has been awarded an OBE, and has dedicated it to all the kids who dream of a career in the arts but are told to “get a proper job”.
With an entertainment career spanning more than two decades, Stephen Graham has gone on to become one of the most celebrated and well-loved actors working in the British film and television industry today.
And now his talents have been recognised with one of the country’s most prestigious honours.
The Kirkby-born actor was made an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2023 New Year Honours list for his services to drama, and was presented with the award by the Princess Royal during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace yesterday.
The 47-year-old took to social media after the ceremony to share a couple of pictures of him holding his OBE medal, while also making sure to dedicate the award to those he loved.
“For you mum… And to all those kids that are told to “get a proper job”, this is for you too,” he wrote in on both Twitter and Instagram.
Graham dedicated the honour to his mother, who he announced at the end of 2022 had passed away.
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As well as making sure to dedicate it to his late mother, he also took a moment to offer some words of encouragement to any children who are hoping to one day go into acting or have a career in the performing arts industry – adding that his OBE is also for “any kid that’s ever been told to ‘get a proper job’.”
Being from Merseyside, and getting his start in the Liverpool Everyman Youth Theatre at aged 14, before attending drama school at the Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance in London, it’s likely that Graham had that discouraging phrase said to him a couple of times.
Stephen Graham dedicates OBE to all the kids that are told to ‘get a proper job’ / Credit: Channel 4 | ITV
First appearing on screens back in 1990, Stephen Graham now has over 100 acting credits to his name.
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Leading and prominent roles in films such as This Is England, Gangs of New York, Snatch, and Pirates of the Caribbean, as well as TV series like Boardwalk Empire, Band of Brothers, Taboo, and Coronation Street helped make him a household name.
Some of Graham’s most recent acting credits include Yardie, Rocketman, Boiling Point, The Irishman, Peaky Blinders, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and Matilda the Musical.
He has also been nominated for and scooped several acting awards throughout his career.
Graham’s leading role in Channel 4’s drama film, Help, alongside fellow Liverpudlian actor Jodie Comer saw him garner critical acclaim and win ‘Best Actor’ awards from several organisations.
Major Greater Manchester names on lineup as BBC Comedy Festival heads north for 2026
Emily Sergeant
The BBC’s popular comedy festival heading up north next month, and there’s some major local names on the lineup.
Previously held in other major cities like Belfast, Glasgow, Cardiff, and Newcastle but this year pitching up in Liverpool, the BBC Comedy Festival is opportunity for those working in the TV industry to get together, discuss, and celebrate comedy.
Bolton‘s finest Diane Morgan, alongside other northern names like John Bishop, Lee Mack, Sir Michael Palin, and Sue Johnston are among a stellar lineup of comedy talent taking part in next month’s festival, as well as other big names like Ruth Jones, James Corden, Gbemisola Ikumelo, and the creators and producers of hit BBC show Amandaland.
Talent on the lineup will take part in a selection of talks, panels, screenings, and live comedy shows across the two days – with many events also being open to the public to attend.
Sir Michael Palin and Lee Mack are two major names appearing at BBC Comedy Festival 2026 / Credit: Wikimedia Commons (Ralph PH | Amanda Benson)
Last year’s BBC Comedy Festival proved to be a big success, with 16 panels and masterclasses, and more than 70 comedy names taking to the stage.
The BBC says the 2026 festival in Liverpool – which is set to take place on 13 and 14 May – ‘marks the start’ of expanded script‑development opportunities across the North West, with more details to come.
Alongside some of the more household names on the lineup, other comedians set to appear this year include Ash Atalla, Jessica Knappett, Philippa Dunne, Michael Odewale, Emma Garrett, David Mumemi, and Simon Mayhew Archer, among many others.
Speaking ahead of the festival next month, Jon Petrie, who is the Director of Comedy at the BBC, said: “Liverpool has funny bones and a rich culture of producing top tier comedy creatives, so we’re delighted to be bringing the BBC Comedy Festival 2026 to the city.
“Comedy occupies a unique place in the television industry and British culture.
“It’s important that we provide a forum that brings together some of the best comedy minds to celebrate and discuss the success of the sector now and in the future.”
Featured Image – BBC / Al Campbell
TV & Showbiz
Morrissey claims sole credit for The Smiths’ iconic Salford Lads’ Club photo shoot idea
Danny Jones
Morrissey is once again raising the issue of credit and disputes over The Smiths’ legacy, as the controversial former frontman has now claimed that their iconic photo shoot outside of Salford Lads’ Club was entirely his idea.
The 66-year-old lead singer turned solo star from Urmston is no stranger to sparking debates and attracting controversy, and it seems his latest is to do with one of the most iconic images in British music history, let alone just Greater Manchester.
The Davyhulme-born bard and divisive artist goes on to claim that the other co-founding members of the iconic Manc band initially viewed as more of his “lunacy” – the suggestion seemingly being (as it often is with Morrissey) that they simply didn’t understand the ‘genius’ at the time.
Many of his most die-hard fans still believe that most don’t and never will.
He even jokes that, in another life, it could very well have been something entirely different and random, such as the Kellogg’s factory in Trafford, basically suggesting that other members would have simply followed suit.
In his words, he argues that “now millions of people come from all over the world to be photographed on that very spot, it is claimed as a Smiths idea. It wasn’t, it isn’t, and it never shall be.”
Once again, this is by no means the first time he’s called into question, ‘who did what’ and/or who owns what bit of intellectual property; in fact, there was apparently another one of these instances with Johnny Marr only recently.
‘Moz’ and Marr have been at loggerheads pretty much ever since the group disbanded back in 1987, and still look to be far away from seeing eye to eye on virtually anything.
Emily Sergeant -
21st April 2023 
