{"id":23117,"date":"2024-11-13T11:51:29","date_gmt":"2024-11-13T09:51:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/?p=23117"},"modified":"2024-11-13T11:51:32","modified_gmt":"2024-11-13T09:51:32","slug":"graham-norton-on-30-years-of-laughs-behind-the-sofa-magical-moments-and-his-dream-guestlist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/blog\/2024\/11\/13\/graham-norton-on-30-years-of-laughs-behind-the-sofa-magical-moments-and-his-dream-guestlist\/","title":{"rendered":"Graham Norton on 30 Years of Laughs, Behind the Sofa Magical Moments, and His Dream Guestlist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Graham Norton is back, ready to dazzle with his signature snazzy suits and infamous red sofa as The Graham Norton Show returns to screens.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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For almost 30 years, Norton has been a fixture in British television, offering up the perfect blend of wit, charm, and cheeky humour that keeps his audience \u2014 and his star-studded guests \u2014 coming back for more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With nearly two decades of hosting on the BBC alone, Norton has established himself as a maestro of celebrity banter. His ability to create a relaxed atmosphere on set is unmatched, effortlessly drawing out amusing anecdotes from the A-listers who sit elbow-to-elbow on his sofa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Norton puts it, the show is like a TV party that gets the weekend started with a swing \u2014 and it’s one he\u2019s still delighted to host after all these years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been doing this for so long, yet every time I sit in that chair, there\u2019s still a buzz,\u201d Norton shares. \u201cIt\u2019s like riding a bike \u2014 familiar but exciting at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now celebrating the release of his fifth novel, Frankie<\/em>, which he calls his “most ambitious yet,” Norton continues to surprise audiences with his versatility. With four bestselling books already to his name, his success as a novelist shows he’s just as talented behind the keyboard as he is on camera. But it\u2019s his role as the host of one of the UK\u2019s most beloved chat shows that keeps fans flocking to their screens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back to the Studio Magic<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a six-month break, Norton is set to return to the studio, and while it\u2019s business as usual, there\u2019s still a spark of excitement for the seasoned host. \u201cOn that first day back, it\u2019s strange but exhilarating. There\u2019s something about being on that set \u2014 it\u2019s so familiar, yet the energy is always fresh. The audience arrives, the guests sit down, and you never quite know where the night will take you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Norton\u2019s ritual before the show is refreshingly low-key: a simple routine of seeing familiar faces, donning his suit, and enjoying a pre-show glass of wine. \u201cI used to have superstitions back when I was doing stand-up \u2014 same shoes, same routine \u2014 but then I forgot one day, and it turned out fine,\u201d he says with a laugh. \u201cNow, I just focus on the people around me and getting into the zone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Star Power and Dream Guests<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, The Graham Norton Show<\/em> has been known for attracting some of the biggest names in the industry, but even for a veteran like Norton, there are moments of awe. One such moment came last season when Hollywood superstar Julia Roberts finally graced the red sofa after being on Norton\u2019s dream guest list for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBooking Julia was a huge moment for everyone on the show,\u201d Norton reveals. \u201cIt was like we finally caught the legendary catfish we\u2019d been chasing. And she didn\u2019t disappoint \u2014 she was lovely, down-to-earth, and the audience couldn\u2019t have loved her more. She brought the whole group together, even with giants like Cher, Tom Hanks, and Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet on the same sofa.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While The Graham Norton Show<\/em> has long been a hotspot for established stars, Norton and his team also take pride in spotlighting rising talent. \u201cSometimes, I\u2019ll see a name on the guest list and think, \u2018Who\u2019s that?\u2019 But then I\u2019ll chat with the team and realise I\u2019ve seen them in the latest buzzworthy show. The beauty of the format is that even if the audience isn\u2019t familiar with someone at first, the energy of the sofa brings everyone into the fold.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The unique vibe of the show is something that even Hollywood heavyweights appreciate. Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet, when seated next to icons like Cher and Julia Roberts, described the experience as \u201csuch a trip.\u201d Norton agrees: \u201cThat sofa just turbocharges everything. After bringing it back post-Covid, I\u2019ve realised how much of a difference it makes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Taste for Risqu\u00e9 Humour<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Norton\u2019s show is also known for its boundary-pushing moments, with guests often venturing into cheeky or even risqu\u00e9 territory. Last season, for example, Alan Cumming riffed on scrotal ageing, and Michael Fassbender discussed a sex aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though Norton admits that at times he finds himself thinking, \u201cDo we really have to go there?\u201d the BBC has rarely cut anything for being too bold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf the audience finds it funny, it stays,\u201d he says with a smile. \u201cAnd honestly, that\u2019s the essence of the show \u2014 it\u2019s a reflection of the fun we\u2019re having in the studio.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking Ahead: More Laughs, More Stories<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Norton celebrates three decades of success, he\u2019s not slowing down. His fifth novel Frankie <\/em>\u2014 which spans from 1950s West Cork to 1960s New York \u2014 represents his most ambitious literary work to date. \u201cI had to do research this time,\u201d Norton says of the book, which blends real and fictional characters. \u201cIt\u2019s different, but I really enjoyed the process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the show front, Norton is still hoping to land Brad Pitt \u2014 another name that\u2019s been on his dream guest list for years. \u201cBrad doesn\u2019t really do talk shows, especially in the UK, but you never know. Maybe if I say it out loud, like I did with Julia, it\u2019ll happen!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for the future of The Graham Norton Show<\/em>, Norton has no immediate plans to step away from the swivel chair. \u201cI feel lucky to still be enjoying it and to have an audience who wants to watch. I don\u2019t see why I\u2019d stop while it\u2019s still so much fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Graham Norton Show<\/em> airs Tuesdays at 20:00 on BBC Brit, Channel 120 on DStv.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information, visit BBC Studios Africa on www.bbcafricachannels.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Graham Norton is back, ready to dazzle with his signature snazzy suits and infamous red sofa as The Graham Norton Show returns to screens. For almost 30 years, Norton has been a fixture in British television, offering up the perfect blend of wit, charm, and cheeky humour that keeps his audience \u2014 and his star-studded… Continue reading Graham Norton on 30 Years of Laughs, Behind the Sofa Magical Moments, and His Dream Guestlist<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23118,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[193],"class_list":["post-23117","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-television","tag-bbc-brit","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/GrahamNorton30.avif","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23117","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23117"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23117\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23118"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23117"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}