Dear England writer James Graham has suggested the “worst thing” for the Three Lions was winning the 1966 Fifa World Cup because it puts added pressure on the national football team. He also called for action on diversity as he gave the James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival, saying not enough working-class people are “bringing their experiences, outlook, stories, culture” to TV. He added that there are “no heroes or idols anymore” for young people from working-class backgrounds.
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twitter.com/wUot0Ug0xi — Edinburgh TV Festival (@EdinburghTVFest) August 22, 2024 The writer, who also created TV drama series Sherwood, was interviewed by former Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark following his address at the media event. The 42-year-old, whose play about former England manager Gareth Southgate won an Olivier Award and is set to be made into a BBC drama, said: “I don’t think I really mean this, but possibly the worst thing that ever happened to the England football team was winning the World Cup.
“It’s made us so miserable...
unless we do it twice, and ideally where we’re not in Wembley, then we don’t really believe we’re a great footballing nation.” He added that even “Southgate’s record” o.