Stephen Graham OBE: what did he say upon receiving award?

Stephen Graham has received an OBE for services to drama. The actor, who was named as part of the 2023 New Year Honours, went to Buckingham Palace to collect his OBE from Princess Anne on Friday 21 April.

Graham dedicated his award to his mother, writing on Twitter “I feel so honoured and proud to share this with her. An OBE for both of us, mum”. On Instagram, Graham shared a photo of himself with the medal captioned “for you mum and for any kid that’s ever been told to get a proper job”.

When the New Year Honours list was published, Graham shared that his mother had recently passed away. He wrote “a few days ago… this incredible, inspirational, warrior woman with the purest heart… my mum passed away.”

“Her words as a child ‘no one is above you and no one is below you… all are equal’ have remained with me throughout my life. I feel so honoured and proud to share this with her… An OBE for both of us mum.”

As an actor, Graham is best known for collaborations with Shane Meadows (in This Is England and The Virtues) and Steven Knight (in Peaky Blinders, Taboo, and the upcoming A Thousand Blows). You might also recognise him from appearances in films like Snatch and The Irishman, or from television series like Boardwalk Empire and The Walk-In.

Others who received OBEs for services to drama in the 2033 New Year Honours list include actor David Harewood, playwright Rachel De-Lahay, and actor Cleo Sylvestre. Sky Arts Executive Philip Edgar-Jones (father of Normal People’s Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Frank Skinner both received OBEs for services to entertainment.