01 October 2023 , 19:00
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Warning: This article contains content some may find distressing.
Stephen Graham has enjoyed an extraordinary career so far, earning plenty of critical acclaim for his roles in Boiling Point (2021), Help (2021), and of course for his performance as racist skinhead Andrew 'Combo' Gascoigne in This is England (2006). But it hasn't been an easy journey for the 50-year-old, who has spoken out candidly about his serious struggles with mental health issues as a younger man.
The Liverpudlian actor, who is set to appear on screens on Sunday night in the drama spin-off from his hit film Boiling Point, suffered from "really bad depression" in his early 20s, and devastatingly experienced suicidal thoughts during a particularly dark time.
The acclaimed actor struggled with 'really bad depression' as a younger man (PA)During a 2019 interview with The Sunday Times, Stephen opened up about his suicide attempt, sharing: "In my early twenties, I suffered from really bad depression and tried to take my own life once. Thankfully, the rope snapped and I'm here today." Going on to detail how he was feeling at this time, Stephen explained how the 'intense' method of acting he was learning at drama school, paired with personal difficulties, had brought on an "induced psychosis".
Stephen, who recalls hearing his late grandmother call out his name during his suicide attempt, explained: "[Method acting] is a wonderful practice, and I threw everything at it. I had a couple of incidents and then I felt like I couldn’t handle it anymore. It was like an induced psychosis. Basically, I had a breakdown." He added: "I was a young man, 20 years old. I'd just left home.
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"My little brother had just been born. My mum and dad had lost a little boy [at birth] three years before. My nana had passed away when I was 14. I was in the big wide world on my own and it wasn't easy. I was very close to my mum and dad and I think with the kind of intense work we did, tapping into emotions that I'd never really tapped into before…"
Friends and family made sure Stephen got the help he needed to recover (Dave Benett/Getty Images for #Me)Thankfully, family and friends made sure Stephen got the help and support he needed to recover, allowing him to get into a much better headspace in terms of his mental health. The star's upcoming TV adaptation of his restaurant kitchen-based film Boiling Point addresses themes of mental health.
Boiling Point airs on BBC One at 9pm.
Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at [email protected]