Graham was a student at Granston Technical College who took part in a production of The Country Wife that was directed by Ken Barlow. He had been instructed by the college principal to make sure the students got home safely, partly due to an escaped convict rapist, Frank Riley, being loose in the area. Ken said he would run Graham as far as Albert Square but he and his fellow students were keen to finish the play that night and begged Ken to continue. Graham made the unflattering comment that no "Jack the Ripper" would take the girls in the group as they'd all escaped from Holloway Jail themselves at one time or other! Ken gave in and continued rehearsals.