Stephen Graham and Shane Meadows offered to adopt Thomas Turgoose after his mum died

Thomas Turgoose has revealed that This is England director Shane Meadows and costar Stephen Graham offered to adopt him after his mum passed away.

The actor’s mum died from lung cancer shortly after filming for the 2006 This is England film had finished, leaving the then-thirteen year old with no other choice but to move in with his dad, who he didn’t know very well. 

Speaking on the Private Parts podcast, Turgoose explained: “My mum passed away from lung cancer after I finished filming This Is England. She never got to see the finished film.

@thomasturgoose1 / Instagram

“Shane Meadows dedicated the film to my mum.”

He went on to detail his close relationship with the two men, noting that Graham in particular had vowed to always look out for him.

He said: “Stephen Graham promised my mum he’d look out for me. Everyone involved in This is England are family to me.”

Turgoose then revealed that the pair had even promised to adopt him if things didn’t work out with his dad.

FilmFour

He said: “When my mum died I moved in with my dad and I didn’t know him so Shane Meadows and Steven Graham were going to adopt me if things didn’t work out with my dad.”

He also credited the This is England cast for preventing him from ending up in prison, admitting that he was ‘destined for prison’ before landing his breakout role in Meadows’ film.

He said: “I was destined for prison. Shoplifting things I didn’t need. There was a hardware store in Grimsby that I used to steal spray paint from for no reason.”

Thankfully, Turgoose has gone on to enjoy huge success, with him landing roles in several more This is England projects, Game of Thrones, and the new TV series Intergalactic.