Stephen Graham and Shane Meadows were ready to adopt This is England’s Thomas Turgoose after mother’s death

Young actor’s mother died from lung cancer shortly after filming on 2007 film was completed

This is England star Thomas Turgoose has revealed co-star Stephen Graham and director Shane Meadows offered to adopt him following the death of his mother.

Turgoose was 13 years old when he appeared in the acclaimed 2006 drama, which later spawned a serialised sequel series on Channel 4.

He played Shaun, a teenager who finds companionship in a group of older skinheads in the 1980s.

Speaking on the Private Parts podcast, Turgoose told hosts Jamie Laing and Francis Boulle that he had had to move in with his father, whom he barely knew, when his mother died of cancer shortly after This is England finished filming.

“I remember. I sat in my bedroom for days and weeks, and I was so confused,” he said. “This isn’t the lifestyle that I’m used to.”

“I spent a lot of time with Shane Meadows and Stephen Graham. They agreed between them that if they didn’t get on with my dad, or if they didn’t see my dad fit to bring me up, they was gonna adopt me.”

He added: “But they met my dad. And my dad is a proper bloke! He’s worked his arse off his whole life, and he’s respectable. Me and my dad are best friends now, whereas, when I moved in with him I didn’t know him.”

Turgoose also revealed that he hadn’t known that Meadows had dedicated the film to his mother until he saw her name come up during the premiere.