Graham Norton

The 100 Greatest Stand-Ups review

Despite probably doing exactly the same thing when you watched it four years ago, you are sure to shout with rage at the telly at some of the positions - Graham Norton at 58?! Lee Hurst only makes 96?! But the order doesn't really matter; it's just a good chance to see some great comics doing what they do best.

It's easier to define Alan Carr by what he isn't. He isn't quite Graham Norton, which means he's not hysterically shrill and often in Canary Wharf Waitrose. He isn't Justin Lee Collins, which means that he's not disliked on sight by 80 percent of the population. He isn't a great writer, but he has a warm persona which means that his stand-up is unthreatening and extremely popular. More importantly, he isn't egotistical so he's not a bad chat show host.

Chatty Man is over reliant on Norton-esque games (has anyone ever liked them? Ever?). It is at its best when Alan relaxes and natters with his guests, using the Kirsty Young method to unthreateningly coax some fairly good stuff out of them. All that is by the by, however as tonight's special guest is Ricky Gervais, who seems to be on a mission to become the most correctly despised person in Britain.

Graham Norton: 'I'm not eyeing Ross slot'

Graham Norton has denied that he is interested in taking over Jonathan Ross's Friday night TV slot.

Speaking of countdowns: what exactly was going on with Alan Carr: Chatty Man New Year's Special, seemingly the only other New Year's programme that broadcasters were willing to make available in time to review? It was not, in itself, a particularly unusual choice of New Year's Eve scheduling, what with Jools Holland and Graham Norton doing the honours on BBC1 and BBC2, it only seemed right that an equally popular host was chosen for Channel 4. What is rather peculiar is the fact that last night wasn't in fact, the first time the programme had aired. It rang in the New Year on the 29th as well. Still, those forced to watch it twice could have fared worse. Carr's always a charming host, and the slightly random theme of a 1980s party (was it all to coincide with Spandau Ballet's appearance?) made it feel, if nothing else, rather festive. Still, with jokes like these ("It's all right being Dr Who but Dr Who?") perhaps a slightly longer break between airings might have been helpful.

If you happen to find yourself relaxing in an armchair in front of the television as the end of the decade approaches, you can do much worse than titter away the last hour of the Noughties in the frisky company of Graham Norton and his lively chat show. Joining him in a satirical review of the year are Dominic West, the British actor and star of the American drama series The Wire, the evergreen comedian Joan Rivers, and Sex and the City's Sarah Jessica Parker. Followed by the New Year Fireworks over the Thames in London (BBC One, 11.45pm).

Personally, I found Alan Carr's recent statement that gay men make the best chatshow hosts because they are "gossipy" rather annoying - not only because it relies on a particular stereotype, but also because it would imply that Graham Norton is better in the field than Jonathan Ross. For all his faults, Wossy still has the edge on that score. That said, the last series of Carr's show was often hilarious with the right guests. Whether Noel Fielding and Mariah Carey fit into that category, we'll have to wait and see.

There were real laughs to be had, and plenty of them, on Just a Minute (Radio 4, Sunday), the last in the current series. The mood was already rather hysterical ("When I look at that beautiful masculine form I can't help but think of King Kong" said Paul Merton of host Nicholas Parsons) when Gyles Brandreth was given the topic of "pretentious vocabulary". Off he went, unstoppably, unleashing a torrent of verbal flourishes. So unstoppable, in fact, that they let him go beyond the full minute. Moments later, Brandreth was emboldened to assert that he has no hair on his body at all. "Show us your chest," suggested Parsons. "Dear Lord," muttered Pauline McLynn. "Off, off, off!" chanted the audience. "What on earth," asked Graham Norton, "has happened to Radio 4?"

TV matters: The Graham Norton Show

Graham Norton's back - and he's parked his tanks firmly on Jonathan Ross's lawn.

Although Graham Norton was in his finest form about five years ago on Channel 4, his squawky chat show moves tonight to BBC One. The first guests are that rare combination of the incomprehensible and the ageless, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, chat show perennial Ricky Gervais (who was on Jonathan Ross's show just a month ago) and ballad mistress Olivia Newton-John.

Graham Norton on his move to BBC One: interview

As his chat show moves to BBC One, Graham Norton talks to Ajesh Patalay about money - and Jonathan Ross.