Actor Stephen Graham is facing an investigation from the Football Association after allegedly launching a foul-mouthed verbal attack against a referee.

The 51-year-old - whose acting credits include Line of Duty and This is England - is said to have unleashed a 'disgusting' rant against referee David Kennedy during a match between Barrow Town and Heather St John's Reserves on Saturday. Graham was reportedly at the match in Leicestershire to support his nephew, who was representing the Barrow side.

As reported by The Sun, Graham allegedly called Kennedy a "f****** Tellytubby" and a "fat unless t***", with his tirade reportedly causing the game to be held up for around eight minutes as the referee refused to continue until the actor left the touchline.

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A witness alleged to the publication: "His behaviour was absolutely disgusting. The referee was so horrified, along with everyone else. He, rightly, refused to continue with the match until Graham left. Eventually he agreed to go and sit in the bar so the game could continue."

Graham reportedly called the referee after the match to apologise "profusely" for his actions, but he could face a potential ban after it was confirmed that the Leicestershire and Rutland County FA are investigating the incident.

Under FA rules, the Boiling Point actor - who is an avid Liverpool supporter - could be banned from watching Barrow Town play, either for a set number of games or on a permanent basis.

An FA spokesperson said: "We strongly condemn any abusive or unacceptable behaviour aimed toward our match officials, on or off the pitch. We are aware of this incident and supporting Leicestershire and Rutland County FA who are carrying out a full investigation.”

It comes after Barrow Town shared a photo of the actor attending another match, with the club describing him as "a brilliant example of community spirit and support".

The Mirror has reached out to Stephen Graham's representatives for comment on this story.