Stephen Graham and Steve Knight, the creators of A Thousand Blows, discuss their latest project and their approach to storytelling. They talk about how they're both prolific writers and actors, with Graham referring to himself as a "grown-up Mr Benn" and Knight saying he's always been driven by a desire to put words into action.
Graham talks about his experience playing the role of Mary Carr, the self-styled queen of the Forty Elephants, and how he was impressed by Erin Doherty's performance. He also discusses the historical setting of A Thousand Blows and how it reflects the themes of poverty, migration, prejudice, family, ambition, and survival.
Knight discusses his approach to writing period dramas, which he believes focuses on the bottom-up perspective rather than the top-down view. He talks about how he wants to tell stories that are relevant today and explores ideas such as Shakespeare.
The pair also chat about their future projects, with Graham saying he's working on a film for James Bond and Knight penning the screenplay for a new SAS: Rogue Heroes series. They joke about their hectic schedules but ultimately express their passion for storytelling and their desire to keep creating.
In a lighter moment, they discuss their football teams and Graham jokes that Knight is an expert on failure, referencing the fact that Birmingham City failed to score a goal during the reign of a pope. The conversation ends with Graham teasing Knight about squeezing this statistic into a script, and Knight smiling at the idea.
Graham talks about his experience playing the role of Mary Carr, the self-styled queen of the Forty Elephants, and how he was impressed by Erin Doherty's performance. He also discusses the historical setting of A Thousand Blows and how it reflects the themes of poverty, migration, prejudice, family, ambition, and survival.
Knight discusses his approach to writing period dramas, which he believes focuses on the bottom-up perspective rather than the top-down view. He talks about how he wants to tell stories that are relevant today and explores ideas such as Shakespeare.
The pair also chat about their future projects, with Graham saying he's working on a film for James Bond and Knight penning the screenplay for a new SAS: Rogue Heroes series. They joke about their hectic schedules but ultimately express their passion for storytelling and their desire to keep creating.
In a lighter moment, they discuss their football teams and Graham jokes that Knight is an expert on failure, referencing the fact that Birmingham City failed to score a goal during the reign of a pope. The conversation ends with Graham teasing Knight about squeezing this statistic into a script, and Knight smiling at the idea.
they're literally the ultimate power couple in the entertainment industry! I love how Stephen Graham is so humble about his role as Mary Carr, giving all the credit to Erin Doherty's amazing performance 
and also highlighting the historical setting of A Thousand Blows which is so relevant today. And Steve Knight is just the best, his approach to writing period dramas is so unique and I love how he wants to explore ideas like Shakespeare in modern storytelling! 
Can't wait for their future projects, especially Graham's James Bond film 
and SAS: Rogue Heroes series 
!
A Thousand Blows is such an underrated series, and it's awesome to see them diving deeper into their creative process. I mean, can you imagine anyone else bringing that level of depth to a period drama? The way they talk about exploring Shakespearean ideas in today's context is just genius 
Steve Knight's approach to writing from the bottom-up perspective really resonates with me – it's all about giving voice to the characters who often get lost in the shuffle. And let's be real, Bond and SAS: Rogue Heroes? Sign me up! 
Graham and Knight's banter is always the best part of any conversation, though – they're like two peas in a pod 
.
. Like, who cares if they're prolific writers and actors? It's not like that's a unique skillset or anything... I mean, I can write a script on the bus ride home from work (not saying I have, lol). And don't even get me started on how 'bottom-up' their perspective is supposed to be – just code for 'we're trying to make this stuff relatable to modern audiences, but really we're just regurgitating old tropes'. Give it a break. Graham's experience playing Mary Carr sounds super dramatic, I'll give him that... 
I mean, Steve Knight's approach to writing period dramas seems pretty cool, but what if it's all just about trying to get the perspective right? Like, is it possible for us to truly understand each other's experiences without being like Shakespeare and exploring all that "to be or not to be" stuff... 
but i do know these two creators seem super passionate about their work and it's great to see people driven by a desire to tell stories that matter. like i love how they're not afraid to tackle tough themes like poverty and prejudice in A Thousand Blows - it's so important for us to keep having these conversations 
they seem like they're really pushing the boundaries with what they want to explore, which is super exciting 
, while Knight's writing credits go back to the early 2000s with over 20 projects under his belt 
. And it's awesome that they're both passionate about storytelling and using their platforms to explore real-world issues like poverty and prejudice 
. I mean, did you know that A Thousand Blows is based on a true story? It's crazy how much research goes into creating these period dramas 
can't wait to see what they come up with next
It's cool that they can poke fun at each other, like Graham teasing Knight about squeezing in that football stat 
. I mean, Stephen Graham is already a seasoned actor, but to play Mary Carr, that's like a whole new level of acting expertise 
The future of SAS: Rogue Heroes series sounds like an exciting ride too, especially if Knight's script is on point 
. I love how Graham and Knight are both multi-talented creators who aren't afraid to experiment and push boundaries. And can we talk about how their conversation feels like a breath of fresh air? They're not trying to promote themselves or anything, they just genuinely seem passionate about storytelling 
️. It's clear they have an amazing chemistry, both on and off screen. Can't wait to see what they come up with next – Graham's film for James Bond sounds like a total thrill ride 
. Their conversation is super relaxed and entertaining, it's like you're hanging out with them over a pint 
. I love how Graham jokes about Knight being an expert on failure... Birmingham City failing to score a goal during the reign of a pope 
. What I'd love to see is some edgier, more contemporary storytelling that really tackles the issues we face today 
.
GRAHAM'S COMMENT ABOUT BEING A "GROWN-UP MR BENN" MADE ME LAUGH OUT LOUD!!! AND KNOCK KNIGHT ON THE BACK FOR HIS TOP-NOTCH APPROACH TO WRITING PERIOD DRAMAS!!! IT'S SO COOL THAT THEY'RE BOTH WORKING ON FUTURE PROJECTS, LIKE THAT NEW SAS: ROGUE HEROES SERIES!!! I'M DYING TO KNOW WHAT THOSE SCRIPTS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE!!!