Graham

[heydrich39]

I hope they fill in the blanks it makes no sense Simon seeking out Joe even for money

[heydrich39]

He seemed more scared of Graham than Cain

[alcapo11]

I've just read that Graham confides in Debbie about his past. It had to be her, didn't it? Everything's about Debbie!

[heydrich39]

Bet she ends up getting away with it

[heydrich39]

Graham is a legend, glad he is away from joe

[Perdita]

Emmerdale fans will finally get an insight into Graham Foster's troubled past next week.

After months of mystery surrounding the enigmatic character, Graham confides in Debbie Dingle (Charley Webb) as he tries to get her back on better terms with Joe Tate again.

As Joe (Ned Porteous) desperately tries to get back in Debbie's good books, Graham approaches her with an offer from his ruthless boss – revealing that Joe now wants to rent local cottage Jacob's Fold out to her.

While they talk, Graham reveals that he used to work at Joe's school, taking the opportunity to share details of his own tragic past too. How will Debbie react when she hears the truth about Graham?

Digital Spy recently paid a visit to the Emmerdale set to hear former Downton Abbey star Andrew Scarborough speak about Graham's secrets.


Andrew Scarborough as Graham Foster in Emmerdale
© ITV
Andrew Scarborough as Graham Foster in Emmerdale


What were you told about Graham when you took on the role?

"Oh, a lot! When I first arrived, we storyboarded quite a lot around the background of Graham and Joe. We both contributed and the writers also contributed, so Ned Porteous and I actually went in fully armed and knowledgeable.

"We strangely know as much as you can in an arc in a soap. On joining, we were quite well warned about the next year and the background. It has been brilliant from that point of view."

Have you kept that knowledge to yourself, or have you told anyone?

"I'm a terrible gossip with the rest of the cast! I wanted to impress them! (Laughs.) No, I didn't. We didn't talk much about it. We had to keep it to ourselves to keep a bit of a surprise, because obviously when you first join, you don't know how much you do say to people. Everybody has been asking: 'Who are you? What are you doing here?'"

Is it true that Graham's past is a tragic one?

"Yes, it is tragic. He is carrying a lot."

So why does Graham share it with Debbie?

"For one, Joe has told Graham to help him win Debbie back. I think Graham is a sucker underneath all that hard exterior. I think he quite likes love and seeing people in love. What he is like himself remains to unfold, but he likes to see good things because he's seen a lot of bad things."

Graham must trust Debbie, if he confides in her?

"I think Graham sees someone else who has also had a tough upbringing. He identifies with that a lot and I think he admires Debbie's spirit. On face value they are opposites, but underneath they are actually quite similar.

"Filming the scenes with Charley Webb was intense. They are quite long scenes. With long two hander scenes, you either fear them if they are not well written, but as it was here, they were well written so the dialogue trips off the tongue quite easily and Charley is great. She had to listen to me waffle for quite a while!"

How does Debbie react?

"Graham makes her think. And that's the best thing to say."

Is Joe mixed up in Graham's tragic past?

"No, not previously, but they did come through something. They met somewhere, and Joe helped Graham and Graham helped Joe. But yeah, Joe wasn't around when these said things happened."

Does Graham tell Debbie anything about Joe?

"No, because Graham hasn't told Joe everything about his past. That's why these scenes with Debbie are important, because for Graham, he doesn't really talk about himself a lot. He doesn't give away things easily."

Are you enjoying the moments where Graham is coming across as an SAS superhero?!

"I'm loving it! It's a boy's dream! I'm almost 50, so I don't care! It's absolutely brilliant. I nearly cried with joy when I saw those scenes. It's good, because they promised those kind of things were going to happen, it was just about when and how.

"When we did that fight scene with the bulldozer outside the Dingles', I was amazed because I didn't think it would be to that standard. We got a guy from Mission Impossible to do it. We spent four hours filming that, which is quite quick for a stunt like that. With films, you usually spend two days. What they managed to do and the quality they achieved in four hours is absolutely astounding and brilliant."

Graham obviously knows things – like what to do in Ross's acid attack.

"Yes, it is now becoming obvious to the audience that Graham has been involved in traumatic scenes before. And he is trained on how to look after someone else should they have something bad happen to them. He has been trained to be very calm in these situations."

So was he really in the SAS?

"It's Emmerdale policy to not confirm or deny anything! He is trained, but the exact details on his training are all to be revealed later on. Graham would win in a fight. He is very strategic and aware of what is going on the whole time. I know he can seem like a ghost sometimes, but there is logic to why he is there."

Have you been watching the social media reaction to your character?

"Before I came here, I had a Twitter account but never really used it because I'm a dinosaur, but I've been told to read it. It's a great reaction, but it's down to the way it is written. It has been so tightly structured, and the dynamic between me and Ned is beautifully strange."

Should Joe be scared of Graham?

"I think Joe knows what Graham is capable of and not to push it, and Graham is quite parental with him. He tries to stop Joe from taking it too far. But Graham isn't a puppetmaster, as the strange dynamic is that Joe pays his wages. Graham brought him up a little bit, and yet Joe tells him what to do.

"But sometimes I think the patience wears thin. Graham is getting more scared that Joe will do something really stupid – and he already has done. I don't think Graham is against people taking revenge, but it's the way it is done and it should be done right. If you push it too much, I don't think you would want to be around to see Graham react to it."

You previously debunked the fan theory that you're playing the same 'Graham' who killed Joe's mother Rachel.

"He's definitely not him! When I did go on Twitter and saw all the speculation on it, I thought: 'Why are people saying that? He is a totally different character! What's going on?' It was the first time I had come across it. They only have the name Graham in common."

What's the most interesting theory you've read about who Graham is?

"That I'm a ghost! That's quite a good one. Because I keep popping up. But I can explain each time I pop up, there is a logic to it!"

Will there be a love interest for Graham?

"Again, I think that is to unfold, and what kind of guy he is in that area. He has a pretty traumatic past, so it has to be seen. Obviously he is a single man, so yes anything could happen. It's a small village!"

What kind of real-life relationship do you have with Ned?

"We get on. Ned is a brilliant actor. He is amazing, especially for the age of 23. We are more friends really, but we do have a really good relationship. I do tell him off sometimes, but then he is quite cheeky and cocky and tells me off as well!

"Before we met the rest of the village, we had a good two months just filming ourselves. During that time, we were able to build up this great relationship – which was great when it exploded and Joe had this big reveal and told the whole village who he was. I'm enjoying it. It's one of the best parts I've ever played and I mean that!"

Is it nice to now be filming a soap, having done Downton Abbey?

"Everyone says this but the Emmerdale cast are brilliant, the crew is brilliant. I haven't stopped enjoying myself. The part is so interesting. And as long as it has enough juice with it, I'm happy. The part of Graham is so dynamic, I am just loving it. And to play it this long is great, as with a long running role, you can flesh things out a bit. I love it!"


Digital Spy

[heydrich39]

Brilliant article thanks for putting it on here I can't wait to see what's going to happen with him great character

[lizann]

From what I've read in soap mag it looks like Graham will hook up with Bernice, hope he don't turn out to be a pyscho think they will make an interesting pair

think it could be harriet with graham

[heydrich39]

I hope not or Bernice, I like her with Dan but rumour has it they break up I really really hope it's not Graham

[heydrich39]

Graham's brilliant, loved his back story