The first episode of The Walk In on ITV saw Stephen Graham taking on the role of real-life journalist Matthew Collins, and fans everywhere have been praising his performance.
In the first episode, we meet Matthew who is a far-right activist turned antifascist campaigner and journalist, where he's giving a lecture to a room full of students. They are shocked to discover that he was once at the centre of a hate-filled movement, and he tells them that "we have to believe people can change" because he's living proof.
Matthew heads up the Hope not Hate which works to expose and oppose far-right extremism, something that is reflected in the series as he works to stop the radicalization of young men, that he was once a victim of himself.
Stephen Graham is no stranger to gritty drama, as we've seen him heading up the film Boiling Point as a seriously stressed-out chef, and playing prison officer Eric McNally in the BBC One drama Time, and many people were drawn to The Walk-In because of his involvement.
Of course, this isn't his first time getting involved in such a gritty storyline either, as fans will remember Stephen from This Is England, where he played English nationalist Andrew "Combo" Gascoigne, so now he's taking on a similar role as he explores Matthew Collins' real-life story.
Taking to Twitter, fans are raving about Stephen Graham's raw and honest performance, with many saying he's always on point and one even going as far as to say he's the "king of ITV"!
Stephen graham has done it again👏🏻Incredibly talented! #TheWalkInOctober 3, 2022
Stephen Graham is brilliant in anything he does. #thewalkinOctober 3, 2022
You know if Stephen graham is in it it’s going to be good viewing #TheWalkInOctober 3, 2022
Dear ITV,Can you just stick Stephen Graham in all your shows? Dramas. Soaps. Get him reading the news. Love Island. The lot.Kind regards,Me#TheWalkIn pic.twitter.com/MAfeevNAm3October 3, 2022
Stephen Graham is the king of ITV #thewalkinOctober 3, 2022
Speaking to What to Watch about bringing the character to life, Stephen Graham said: "I had a vague idea of the real story, but as soon as I started doing research and reading Matthew’s book I realised there was no way I wasn’t going to do the drama. He started off one way and did a total transformation in his way of thinking, which made him a fascinating character to play."
In the series, Stephen stars alongside Andrew Ellis, who plays a disillusioned man who is drawn into the world of National Action after attending one of their marches. They've starred alongside each other before in This is England, so it's a welcome reunion for fans.
The Walk-In continues on ITV on Monday, October 10. Episodes are also available on ITV Hub.
