Stephen Graham reveals he stopped his wife Hannah from moving to Spain to be with another man after five years of being 'friends with benefits'

Stephen Graham has revealed he stopped his wife Hannah from moving to Spain to be with another man as he opened up on their 33-year relationship on Friday.

The actor, 53, tied the knot with actress, 52, in 2008 after meeting at theatre school and later welcomed two children, daughter Grace, 21, and son Alfie, 19. 

But their relationship wasn't always smooth sailing as Stephen revealed that Hannah almost left him for a Spanish man after being 'friends with benefits' for five years. 

The couple met when they were teenagers and the Adolescence star admitted he had 'commitement issues' and never took Hannah on a date in five years. 

But as she threatened to move to Spain, Stephen realised he loved the actress and took her on their first date before moving in together three days later. 

Speaking on the Table Manners podcast, he said: 'We were friends with benefits. I was s*** at that time. I had commitment issues. We were both young I was 20 and she was 19. 

Stephen Graham has revealed he stopped his wife Hannah from moving to Spain to be with another man as he opened up on their 33-year relationship on Friday

The couple met when they were teenagers and Stephen admitted he had 'commitement issues' and never took Hannah on a date despite being 'friends with benefits' for five years 

'But what happened was she went to Spain and she was there for a little bit and met this fella called Paco. 

'She was gone for a while and came back and we'd never been on a proper date but it was one of those that you don't really know what your in until it's gone.'

He continued: 'So that's what happened and when she came back she was like, "I'm going to move to Spain for Paco". 

'So I was like, "What do you mean?" and she said, "I've met this fella called Paco and I'm going to go back and I'm going to live in Spain". 

'And I asked, "Why" and she said, "Well there's nothing here is there really", and I was like, "Can I take you on a date?" and she was like, "What!"'

Discussing their first date, Stephen said: 'All that time we had never been on a date, we went to the pictures and watched Saving Private Ryan and went to a restaurent across the road. 

'But we ended up at New Cross Station and she was going to Spain in two days so my a** went I've got to try and pull this out the bag somehow. 

'And I don't know where it came from but I went, "I love you", and she said "I've been waiting five years for you to say that". 

'She never went to Spain and within three days we moved in together. Thankfully Paco packed off', he added. 

Join the discussion

Should partners sacrifice their own dreams to support their loved one's ambitions?

What's your view?

But as she threatened to move to Spain, Stephen realised he loved the actress and took her on their first date before moving in together three days later

He said: 'We were friends with benefits. I was s*** at that time. I had commitment issues. She went to Spain and met this fella called Paco and said "I'm going to move to Spain for Paco"'

It comes after Stephen revealed his wife Hannah 'massively sacrificed' her acting career to support his dream.

The couple met in the 90s when they were starting out as trainee actors at Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance in Sidcup, Kent.

But when they had their children, Grace and Alfie, their unstable careers meant Hannah took up a job as a teacher to provide a steady income while Stephen pursued his acting career.

Speaking on The Romesh Ranganathan Show last month, Stephen said: 'Hannah kind of put her career on hold completely while I tried to pursue the acting.

'She went and did a teaching job. She was a teacher. She taught sixth form A-level Drama and English and she did other jobs as well. Do you know what I mean? In order to try and keep me going in many ways.

'Ultimately that was a massive sacrifice and that's something I'm so grateful for because her ultimate aim and goal [was to be an actress] when she was younger.

'She's had opportunities now and you know hopefully she will have more. But she put that on hold for me which is something that I'll always cherish because of the faith and the backing that she gave me in them situations.'

The couple, who married in 2008, settled in Ibstock, Leicestershire, close to Hannah's family, where they are well liked in the community and live in a modest £450,000 four-bedroomed semi.

Over the years, the pair did work together. They both starred on This Is England in 2006 and the 2021 prison drama Time, where Hannah played Stephen's wife.

It was Stephen who suggested Hannah for the part – a move that she was not initially pleased with.

'I was quite cross when he suggested it,' Hannah confessed previously. 'I want to get parts on my own merit and not – let’s be candid about it – because of Stephen.

'So I made him go through proper channels. I put myself on tape and I got it off my own back. But can you imagine if they said we had no chemistry?'

Explaining their first date, Stephen said: 'I went, "I love you", and she said "I've been waiting five years for you to say that". She never went to Spain and within three days we moved in'

Hannah has also been instrumental in many of Stephen's projects.

She plays a pivotal role in their joint production company, appropriately named Matriarch Productions.

Their collaboration brought forth the multi-Bafta-nominated film Boiling Point in 2021, where Hannah not only served as an executive producer but also appeared on screen.

The film – like each episode of Adolescence – was remarkably filmed in one single take.

Hannah was also key to getting the production of their Disney+ boxing drama, A Thousand Blows, off the ground as she presented the story to Peaky Blinders creator, Steven Knight, who was fascinated by the idea.

Notably, the couple's production company also produced Adolescence – with Hannah therefore taking to the stage herself during its incredible awards season success.