Graham Norton is a 56 year-old Irish comedian, presenter, actor, commentator, and author whose smash-hit chat show The Graham Norton Show has one five BAFTA TV awards. Much-loved as the BBC's television commentator on the Eurovision Song Contest, and known for his innuendo-laden style of comedy, in 2016 he appeared as himself in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, and in 2019 was made a judge on RuPaul's Drag Race UK.
Biography
Born in Clondalkin, Dublin, in 1963, Graham Norton's ancestors hail from Yorkshire - a fact he discovered after participating in the BBC genealogy documentary series Who Do You Think You Are?. He went on to study English and French at University College, Cork, but dropped out after two years, at which point he decided to study acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama. After joining the actor's union Equity, he discovered that there was already an actor registered under the name Graham Walker (his birth name). It was here that the figure of Graham Norton was born, taking his great-grandmother's maiden name.
After presenting Comic Relief in 1988, Norton brought a stand-up set to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, memorably dressing as Mother Teresa for one show in 1992. This led to appearance on BBC Radio 4 programme Loose Ends, and Norton went on to feature as Feather Noel Furlong in two episodes in series 2 of well-loved sitcom Father Ted, broadcast in 1996. Throughout the 90s, he would appear in many shows including The Jack Doherty Show and Bring Me The Head Of Light Entertainment, firmly establishing himself as a popular and successful comedy figure in the minds of the nation.
These initial triumphs earned him the opportunity to host two of his own shows, So Graham Norton and V Graham Norton, on Channel 4. The former, which ran from 1998-2002, won Norton a BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance. After honing his craft with the first chat-show iterations The Graham Norton Effect (2004) and Graham Norton's Bigger Picture (2005-2006), he would follow these TV achievements with his greatest TV success, which began in 2007.
This saw the start of what would later become one of the most successful chat shows in British TV history, The Graham Norton Show. Each episode follows the same format: a short monologue by Norton himself, followed by an intimate and fast-paced interview with at least 3 guests (featuring strong adult humour and innuendo, as per Norton's hallmark style), and lastly a musical guest to play out over the credits.
Several other gimmicks have come and gone during the history of the show, from rude objects in 'Graham's drawer' and phone-calls through to hidden camera surprises and the 'Big Red Chair', a segment towards the end in which members of the public tell their funniest stories to the assembled celebrities, who decide whether to 'eject' them from the chair or allow them to 'walk' free. Having begun on BBC Two, in 2009 it shifted to BBC One with a one-hour slot, and has won 5 BAFTA awards.
Alongside this landmark show, Norton has also presented a series of reality TV musical shows on the BBC, including 'Any Dream Will Do', 'How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?', and 'I'd Do Anything'. In 2007 he began hosting the Eurovision Dance Contest on the BBC, alongside Claudia Winkleman, and has become a regular, annual mainstay for many due to his warm, infectious wit, and glorious descriptions of the participants. In 2009 he replaced Terry Wogan as the presenter of the main show, which was hosted that year at the Olympic Stadium, Moscow.
Openly gay, Norton frequently speaks about his homosexuality, and supports the LGBTQIA+ community on a regular and active basis. On multiple occasions he has been named one of the most influential public figures in popular entertainment.
- Gender
- Male
- Nationality
- Ireland
- National Television Awards, The 2021 - TV Presenter: Longlisted
- Edinburgh TV Festival Awards 2021 - Best TV Presenter: Nominee
- BAFTA Television Awards 2021 - Best Entertainment Performance: Nominee
- BAFTA Television Awards 2020 - Best Comedy and Comedy Entertainment: Nominee
- BAFTA Television Awards 2020 - Best Entertainment Performance: Nominee
- Edinburgh TV Festival Awards 2020 - Best TV Presenter: Nominee
- I Talk Telly Awards 2020 - Best TV Presenter: Nominee
- BAFTA Television Awards 2018 - Best Entertainment Performance: Winner
- BAFTA Television Awards 2017 - Best Entertainment Performance: Nominee
- BAFTA Television Awards 2016 - Best Entertainment Performance: Nominee
- RTS Awards 2015 - Entertainment Performance: Nominee
- VLV Awards 2015 - Best TV Individual Contributor: Nominee
- BAFTA Television Awards 2015 - Best Comedy and Comedy Entertainment: Winner
- BAFTA Television Awards 2015 - Best Entertainment Performance: Nominee
- BAFTA Television Awards 2014 - Best Comedy and Comedy Entertainment: Nominee
- British Comedy Awards 2014 - King or Queen of Comedy: Nominee
- BAFTA Television Awards 2014 - Best Entertainment Performance: Nominee
- British Comedy Awards 2014 - Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Winner
- British Comedy Awards 2013 - King or Queen of Comedy: Nominee
- BAFTA Television Awards 2013 - Best Entertainment Performance: Nominee
- British Comedy Awards 2013 - Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Nominee
- BAFTA Television Awards 2013 - Best Entertainment Programme or Series: Winner
- British Comedy Awards 2012 - Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Nominee
- BAFTA Television Awards 2012 - Best Entertainment Performance: Winner
- British Comedy Awards 2012 - King or Queen of Comedy: Nominee
- RTS Awards 2011 - Entertainment Performance: Nominee
- British Comedy Awards 2011 - Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Winner
- BAFTA Television Awards 2011 - Best Entertainment Performance: Winner
- British Comedy Awards 2011 - King or Queen of Comedy: Nominee
- BAFTA Television Awards 2011 - Best Entertainment Programme or Series: Nominee
- BAFTA Television Awards 2010 - Best Entertainment Programme or Series: Nominee
- British Comedy Awards 2008 - Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Nominee
- British Comedy Awards 2003 - Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Nominee
- BAFTA Television Awards 2002 - Best Entertainment Performance: Winner
- British Comedy Awards 2002 - Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Winner
- British Comedy Awards 2001 - Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Nominee
- BAFTA Television Awards 2001 - Best Entertainment Performance: Winner
- British Comedy Awards 2000 - Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Winner
- BAFTA Television Awards 2000 - Best Entertainment Performance: Winner
- British Comedy Awards 1999 - Best Comedy Entertainment Personality: Nominee
- British Comedy Awards 1998 - Top BBC Two, Channel 4 or Channel 5 Comedy Personality: Nominee
- British Comedy Awards 1997 - Best Comedy Breakthrough Artist: Winner
- Edinburgh Comedy Awards 1997 - Best Comedy Show: Nominee
- Born
- Thursday 4th April 1963 (58 years-old)
Awards
Known for
The Graham Norton Show - Host / Presenter
So Graham Norton - Host / Presenter
Credits
| Year | Production | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Holding Announced | Writer |
| 2021 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 29 | Host / Presenter |
| 2021 | Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable - Series 1
|
Guest |
| 2020 | Greatest Celebrity Wind-Ups Ever! - Series 2
|
Self (Archive Material) |
| 2020 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 28 | Host / Presenter |
| 2020 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 27 | Host / Presenter |
| 2019 | Jack Whitehall: Christmas With My Father | Self |
| 2019 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 26 | Host / Presenter |
| 2019 | Just A Minute - Series 85 | Guest |
| 2019 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 25 | Host / Presenter |
| 2018 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 24 | Host / Presenter |
| 2018 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 24 | Host / Presenter |
| 2018 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 23 | Host / Presenter |
| 2017 | Greatest Celebrity Wind-Ups Ever! - Series 1 | Self (Archive Material) |
| 2017 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 22 | Host / Presenter |
| 2017 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 21 | Host / Presenter |
| 2017 | Just A Minute - Series 77 | Guest |
| 2016 | The Graham Norton Story | Self (Archive Material) |
| 2016 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 20 | Host / Presenter |
| 2016 | Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie | Self |
| 2016 | Just A Minute - Series 75 | Guest |
| 2016 | The Interviews - Series 2
|
Self (Archive Material) |
| 2016 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 19 | Host / Presenter |
| 2016 | Just A Minute - Series 74 | Guest |
| 2016 | Williams On The Wireless | Guest |
| 2015 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 18 | Host / Presenter |
| 2015 | The Interviews - Series 1
|
Self (Archive Material) |
| 2015 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 17 | Host / Presenter |
| 2015 | Just A Minute - Series 71 | Guest |
| 2014 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 16 | Host / Presenter |
| 2014 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 15 | Host / Presenter |
| 2014 | Just A Minute - Series 68 | Guest |
| 2013 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 14 | Host / Presenter |
| 2013 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 13 | Host / Presenter |
| 2013 | Comic Relief's Big Chat With Graham Norton | Host / Presenter |
| 2013 | Alexander Armstrong's Big Ask - Series 2
|
Self |
| 2012 | The British Comedy Awards
|
Self |
| 2012 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 12 | Host / Presenter |
| 2012 | God Save The Queens
|
Self (Archive Material) |
| 2012 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 11 | Host / Presenter |
| 2012 | Just A Minute
|
Guest |
| 2012 | Alexander Armstrong's Big Ask - Series 1
|
Guest |
| 2011 | Ben Elton: Laughing At The 80s | Self |
| 2011 | Catherine Tate: Laughing At The Noughties | Self |
| 2011 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 10 | Host / Presenter |
| 2011 | Two Episodes Of Mash - Series 1
|
Self |
| 2011 | QI - Making Of Special | Guest |
| 2011 | Jennifer Saunders: Laughing At The 90s | Self |
| 2011 | My Favourite Joke
|
Self |
| 2011 | Sorry, I've Got No Head - Series 3
|
Interviewer (Voice) |
| 2011 | Incredible Women - Series 1
|
Graham |
| 2011 | And The Winner Is... - Series 2
|
Guest |
| 2011 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 9 | Host / Presenter |
| 2011 | Small, Far Away - The World Of Father Ted | Self |
| 2010 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 8 | Host / Presenter |
| 2010 | Open That Door: Gay Comedy In The Last 30 Years | Self |
| 2010 | QI - Series H
|
Guest |
| 2010 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 7 | Host / Presenter |
| 2010 | Just A Minute - Series 56 | Guest |
| 2010 | QI - Series G
|
Guest |
| 2009 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 6 | Host / Presenter |
| 2009 | Friday Night With Jonathan Ross - Series 17 | Guest |
| 2009 | Just A Minute - Series 55 | Guest |
| 2008 | Harry Hill's TV Burp - Series 8
|
Self |
| 2008 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 4 | Host / Presenter |
| 2008 | Sorry, I've Got No Head - Series 1
|
Interviewer (Voice) |
| 2008 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 3 | Host / Presenter |
| 2007 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 2 | Host / Presenter |
| 2007 | The Graham Norton Show - Series 1 | Host / Presenter |
| 2006 | Graham Norton's Bigger Picture - Series 3 | Host / Presenter |
| 2006 | Friday Night With Jonathan Ross - Series 10 | Guest |
| 2006 | Graham Norton's Bigger Picture - Series 2 | Host / Presenter |
| 2005 | Graham Norton's Bigger Picture - Series 1 | Host / Presenter |
| 2005 | Absolutely Fabulous - White Box
|
Self |
| 2004 | Friday Night With Jonathan Ross - Series 7 | Guest |
| 2004 | Comedy Connections - Series 2
|
Self |
| 2004 | Bob Monkhouse: A BAFTA Tribute | Self |
| 2002 | Absolutely Fabulous - Gay | Self |
| 2001 | Rex The Runt - Series 2
|
The Plants (Voice) |
| 2001 | Rex The Runt - Series 2
|
Osvaldo Halitosis (Voice) |
| 1998 | So Graham Norton - Series 5 | Host / Presenter |
| 1998 | So Graham Norton - Series 4 | Host / Presenter |
| 1998 | So Graham Norton - Series 3 | Host / Presenter |
| 1998 | So Graham Norton - Series 2 | Host / Presenter |
| 1998 | So Graham Norton - Series 1 | Host / Presenter |
| 1998 | Father Ted - Series 3
|
Father Noel Furlong |
| 1997 | Bring Me The Head Of Light Entertainment - Series 5 | Host / Presenter |
| 1997 | Bring Me The Head Of Light Entertainment - Series 4 | Host / Presenter |
| 1997 | Bring Me The Head Of Light Entertainment - Series 3 | Host / Presenter |
| 1997 | Bring Me The Head Of Light Entertainment - Series 2 | Host / Presenter |
| 1997 | Bring Me The Head Of Light Entertainment - Series 1 | Host / Presenter |
| 1996 | Father Ted - Series 2
|
Father Noel Furlong |
| 1988 | Comic Relief | Host / Presenter |
| Graham Norton: Charlie's Angels Go To Hell | Self |
Non-comedy TV and film credits might be found here:
Graham Norton on IMDb