In Netflix hit Adolescence, he played the unwitting father who was completely blindsided by his teenage son committing murder.

But maybe in real life actor Stephen Graham will show greater levels of perception, as The Mail on Sunday can reveal he is being considered by BBC bosses as a contender for the next season of The Celebrity Traitors.

An insider said: 'They are absolutely desperate to nail down Stephen for the show. He would be their star signing.

'He is one of the most formidable actors of our generation, and the nation adores him, but no one really knows what he's like as a person, so there is a definite hunger among viewers to see what he is like in a more reality-based setting.'

The 52-year-old scored global success last year after co-creating and starring in the Adolescence – the drama that prompted widespread debate about online misogyny, incel culture and the 'manosphere'.

It won eight Emmy awards and four Golden Globes.

Speaking about the show's success, Graham said: 'Having a fella come up in Tesco and say, "I just want to thank you. I had a really good chat with my son the other night after we watched your programme."

'No disrespect, but you can keep your awards and all that shiny bo*****s. That's the real accolade.'

Graham did appear on Celebrity Gogglebox in 2023 for Stand Up to Cancer with his wife of 17 years, Hannah Walters.

But The Celebrity Traitors – with 14.9 million viewers tuning into the final last year to watch comedian Alan Carr win – would be the Peaky Blinders star's first real stint on reality TV.

Also rumoured to be joining host Claudia Winkleman in Ardross Castle later this year are Danny Dyer, Ruth Jones and Bob Mortimer. The success of the first series of the celebrity version has persuaded many to re-think initial reluctance to appear.