Stephen Graham says the rise of “misogynistic tendencies” is concerning and we’re “all accountable to an extent” to finding a solution.
His new limited series Adolescence looks at the impact of social media on children and the accessibility to radicalised views online.
Speaking to Sky News, Graham says there was a certain moment for him that inspired him to create the show.
Image: Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller in Adolescence. Pic: Netflix
“I read an article about a young girl who was stabbed to death by a young boy, and then a few months later, on the news there was a young girl who, again, had been brutally stabbed to death by a young boy in a completely different part of the country.
“If I’m really honest with you, that hurt my heart and I just thought, why? Why does this kind of thing happen? What is this society? Why have we reached this point where this kind of thing is happening? What was the reason?”
The four-part drama, he says, doesn’t have the answer but instead holds a mirror up to society asking how can the growing presence of incel culture be quashed?
“You look at it and you see that we’re kind of all accountable to an extent. There’s failings within the school system, there’s situations where the education system can look at this, look at what’s happened with that kind of rise in these misogynistic tendencies.
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“The society as a whole can look at this, parents obviously can look at this, and the government in many ways.”
What is the term incel?
Derived from the phrase “involuntarily celibate”, incel culture in its simplest form someone who deems themselves unable to find a romantic partner despite desiring one.
A more radicalised sub-culture of incels has surfaced online in recent years which includes individuals who dislike feminism and believe that women have become too sexually selective.
They believe men are the superior sex and men have the right to objectify and criticise women as a result.
Influencers like Andrew Tate have been connected to the growing corner of the internet in which young boys are being radicalised from the certain viewpoint.
Image: Ashley Walters as Detective Inspector Bascombe in Adolescence. Pic: Netflix
Actor Ashley Walters, who stars alongside Graham in the series, says reading into the existence of the misogynistic group came as a bit of a shock and it worries him about the world children are growing up in.
“I’d seen bits of the Andrew Tate stuff kind of popping up online or whatever, but I never really delved into it. And for me, this was the first real experience.
He adds: “I do sometimes feel sorry for [kids]. When I was growing up, I was in a bubble. I didn’t have a clue what was going on in the States and other parts of the world.
“It was just kind of in my little area that I grew up in with my family… I wasn’t seeing Bentleys and designer clothes and all of this stuff. It’s like I was happy with what I had. And now you’re exposed to everything. It’s no wonder that kids mentally grow up quicker.”
The Top Boy actor believes it can be hard for young boys to talk about their emotions.
“It’s really important that we have these conversations and we make it normal to have discussions just like women and young girls do about feelings and whatever they’re going through.
“That was one of the big reasons why I wanted to be a part of this conversation that we’re creating, because I’m a strong advocate for, as a man, being vulnerable, crying in front of my friends, and just saying how I feel.
“It’s even difficult for me at times, so I can’t imagine how young men are at the moment… everything that’s going on around social media in their lives, how difficult it is for them to start this conversation.”
‘This government needs to do something’
Co-creator and writer Jack Thorne agrees and says the government should step in and guide children and their parents to the correct use of social media.
“I think this government needs to do something. And there’s a private members’ bill going through the Commons on Friday that has been watered down quite extensively by this government because they’re frightened of big tech.
“And we need to be having conversations like Australia’s having conversations, whether they’re actually putting in legislation about restricting social media access.
“We need to be having those conversations in this country and we’re not. And if we don’t have these conversations, it is going to get worse.”
Image: Fatima Bojang as Jade in Adolescence. Pic: Netflix
He adds: “Doing this show I spent a lot of time in a lot of dark places. I saw where the web went and where the web goes. And it’s not about Andrew Tate. Andrew Tate is the shorthand for adults.
“There’s much worse stuff out there. And it teaches kids a logic… that makes sense of the world for them in a really distorted and ugly way. And unless we look at that and talk about that, things are only going to get worse.”
A government spokesperson said: “We are committed to keeping young people safe online.
“Starting next week, Ofcom can begin enforcing the Online Safety Act’s illegal content duties, targeting the most harmful material.
“By summer, children will be protected from harmful content, and platforms must take steps to ensure age-appropriate experiences online.
“These protections will act as the foundation and our priority is implementing them quickly and effectively.
“We also know there will be more to do and have already acted, including commissioning a study to assess current research on the impact of social media and smartphones, strengthening the evidence base on their impact on children’s wellbeing.
“This will enable us to swiftly consider all options to inform our next steps in the safety of children online.”
Manchester Pride has been put into voluntary liquidation – and the future of the event is now in doubt.
Artists and suppliers are owed money following this year’s event, according to an Instagram statement issued by Pride’s board of trustees.
Pride’s organisers cited rising costs, declining ticket sales and an unsuccessful bid to host Euro Pride as factors behind the decision.
The organisation is a charity and limited company that campaigns for LGBTQ+ equality and offers training, research, policy analysis, advocacy and outreach activities, as well as putting on the annual parade and live event.
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The statement said: “It is with enormous sadness that we announce that Manchester Pride has started the legal process of voluntary liquidation.
“A combination of rising costs, which are affecting the entire events and hospitality industries, declining ticket sales and an ambitious refresh of the format aimed to challenge these issues, along with an unsuccessful bid to host Euro Pride, has led to the organisation no longer being financially viable.
“We regret the delays in communicating the current situation; however, we were keen not to jeopardise financial opportunities while our discussions were ongoing.
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“We were proactive and determined to identify solutions to the financial issues. We’ve been actively working with several partners, including legal and financial advisors, to do everything we could to find a positive solution.
“We had hoped to be able to find a way to continue, and, most importantly, to support our artists, contractors and partners.
Image: A scene from Manchester Pride 2024. The future of the event is in doubt. Pic: AP
“Despite our best efforts, sadly, this has not proved to be possible. We are sincerely sorry for those who will now lose out financially from the current situation.
“The volunteer board of trustees are devastated at this situation and sad to share that our staff team will be made redundant.
“We, along with the team, have put our hearts and souls into the celebration and community activities over two decades and are very distressed at the position in which we find ourselves.”
“The Manchester Pride team have now handed over the details of suppliers and artists who are owed money to the liquidators who will be handling the affairs of the charity and contacting everyone.”
A White House official has said there is “zero truth” to a report that Donald Trump is considering commuting Sean “Diddy” Combs’s prison sentence as early as this week.
On Monday, US entertainment site TMZ reported the US president was “vacillating” on whether or not to reduce the music mogul’s sentence, citing a “high-ranking White House official”.
Combs was sentenced to 50 months in prison and given a $500,000 fine at a hearing on 3 October, after being found guilty of prostitution charges relating to his former girlfriends and male sex workers at the end of his high-profile trial in the summer.
Image: Combs was in tears during his sentencing hearing. Pic: AP/ Elizabeth Williams
Now, a White House official has pushed back on TMZ’s report about a possible commutation.
There is “zero truth to the TMZ report, which we would’ve gladly explained had they reached out before running their fake news”, the official told NBC, Sky News’ US partner.
Mr Trump, “not anonymous sources, is the final decider on pardons and commutations”, the official added.
Casey Carver, a spokesperson for TMZ, said in a brief statement: “We stand by our story.”
In an update to the story on the outlet’s website, the news site said: “The White House Communications Office is saying our story is not true. We stand by our story. Our story is accurate.”
Lawyers for Combs did not immediately return a request for comment about the disparity between the White House statement and TMZ’s reporting. However, they previously told NBC News they had been pursuing a pardon.
Pardons and commuting – what is the difference?
In the US federal system, commutation of sentence and pardons are different forms of executive clemency, “which is a broad term that applies to the president’s constitutional power to give leniency to persons who have committed federal crimes”, according to the justice department.
Neither signifies innocence, but a pardon is an expression of a president’s forgiveness and can be granted in recognition of acceptance of responsibility and good conduct, reinstating rights such as the right to vote.
A commutation reduces a sentence either totally or partially but does not remove civil disabilities that apply as a result of criminal conviction.
What has Donald Trump said?
In August, before Combs’s sentencing, Mr Trump said in an interview that he had been approached about a possible pardon but implied he would not be granting one.
“You know, I was very friendly with him. I got along with him great and he seemed like a nice guy. I didn’t know him well,” the president said. “But when I ran for office, he was very hostile.”
When asked if he was suggesting he would not pardon Combs, he replied: “I would say so.”
“When you knew someone and you were fine, and then you run for office, and he made some terrible statements. So, I don’t know, it’s more difficult,” Mr Trump said. “Makes it more – I’m being honest, it makes it more difficult to do.”
The president has issued several pardons and commutations in his second term – including to around 1,500 criminal defendants in connection with the attack on the US Capitol in January 2021.
Combs was found guilty of two counts of transportation for prostitution in July, but was cleared of more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex-trafficking, which carried potential life sentences.
Ahead of his sentencing, he told the court he admitted his past behaviour was “disgusting, shameful and sick”, and apologised personally to Cassie Ventura and “Jane”, another former girlfriend who testified anonymously during the trial.
He told the court he got “lost in my excess and lost in my ego”, but since his time in prison he has been “humbled and broken to my core”, adding: “I hate myself right now… I am truly sorry for it all.”
The rapper is serving his sentence at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, where his team has said conditions are “inhumane”.
He has asked to be moved to a low-security federal prison in New Jersey, but the Bureau of Prisons has yet to approve the request.
Officers should focus on “tackling real crime and policing the streets”, Downing Street has said – after the Metropolitan Police announced it is no longer investigating non-crime hate incidents.
The announcement by Britain’s biggest force on Monday came after it emerged Father Ted creator Graham Linehan will face no further action after he was arrested at Heathrow Airport on suspicion of inciting violence over three posts he made on X about transgender issues.
Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman said police forces will “get the clarity they need to keep our streets safe” when a review of non-crime hate incidents by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and College of Policing is published in December.
“The police should focus on tackling real crime and policing the streets,” he said.
“The home secretary has asked that this review be completed at pace, working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing.
“We look forward to receiving its findings as soon as possible, so that the other forces get the clarity they need to keep our streets safe.”
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He said the government will “always work with police chiefs to make sure criminal law and guidance reflects the common-sense approach we all want to see in policing”.
After Linehan’s September arrest, Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said officers were in “an impossible position” when dealing with statements made online.
Image: File pic: iStock
On Monday, a Met spokesperson said the commissioner had been “clear he doesn’t believe officers should be policing toxic culture war debates, with current laws and rules on inciting violence online leaving them in an impossible position”.
The force said the decision to no longer investigate non-crime hate incidents would now “provide clearer direction for officers, reduce ambiguity and enable them to focus on matters that meet the threshold for criminal investigations”.
Justice minister Sarah Sackman said it is “welcome news” the Met will now be focusing on crimes such as phone snatching, mugging, antisocial behaviour and violent crime.
Asked if other forces should follow the Met’s decision, she said: “I think that other forces need to make the decisions that are right for their communities.
“But I’m sure that communities up and down the country would want that renewed focus on violent crime, on antisocial behaviour, and on actual hate crime.”
The Met said it will still record non-crime hate incidents to use as “valuable pieces of intelligence to establish potential patterns of behaviour or criminality”.