Stephen Graham Under Investigation After Alleged Outburst at Football Match

 

British actor Stephen Graham, best known for his roles in Line of Duty and Boiling Point, is reportedly under investigation by the Football Association (FA) following an alleged foul-mouthed outburst during a non-league match at Barrow Town in Leicestershire.

According to reports from The Sun, the 51-year-old actor became verbally aggressive toward referee David Kennedy during Saturday's match between Barrow Town and Heather St John's Reserves. Graham, who was attending the game to watch his nephew play, is said to have interrupted the match with a tirade of insults, including calling the referee a "f*ing Teletubby" and a "fat useless tt," as well as questioning whether he had been bullied at school.

The verbal assault caused the game to be delayed for eight minutes, with the referee reportedly refusing to continue until Graham had left the touchline. Sources claimed that Graham accused Kennedy of being on a "power trip" and allegedly made an inappropriate comment about a sexual act. He is also said to have boasted about his celebrity status, telling those present, "Google me, I’m on Netflix."

Witnesses expressed their shock at the actor’s behavior, with one describing it as "absolutely disgusting." The referee, visibly horrified by the comments, insisted on Graham leaving before the game could resume. Eventually, Graham agreed to move to the bar so the match could continue, which ended in a 3-0 loss for Barrow Town.

Following the incident, Graham reportedly apologized to the referee both immediately after the game and again in a phone call two days later. A source close to the actor stated that Graham was "mortified" by his actions, though he denied making the "Google me" comment or threatening to "knock out" the referee.

The FA has launched an investigation into the matter, and Graham’s actions come at a time when the FA is intensifying efforts to address abusive behavior through its "Enough Is Enough" campaign, which was introduced to combat rising abuse directed at referees.

As the investigation unfolds, Graham’s apology and the FA’s stance on such behavior will likely be closely watched.