The Graham Norton Show. Graham Norton. Credit: So Television, Christopher Baines
The Graham Norton Show

The Graham Norton Show

  • TV chat show
  • BBC One / BBC Two
  • 2007 - 2024
  • 494 episodes (31 series)

Comic chat show presented by Graham Norton. The biggest names in showbiz join the host on his sofa.

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Series 13, Episode 6 - Olivia Colman, Alan Sugar, Hugh Laurie

Lord Alan Sugar says not all The Apprentice hopefuls are nice, Olivia Colman reveals she had hoped she was Broadchurch's killer and Hugh Laurie talks about singing the Blues.

Preview clips

Further details

Alan Sugar, generally praising the contestants of the current series of The Apprentice, says, "They are not all nice." He won't be drawn on which ones he means, but adds, "I don't know who is going to win. I have learnt not to be fooled by first impressions."

Talking about his recent high profile court case, involving former contestant, Stella English, he says, "A lot of my friends and contemporaries asked me why I didn't just settle. I'm not going to succumb to this claim culture stuff. I wasn't going to put up with it. Another fella might have given them money to go away, but not me. I won't put up with it. It's as simple as that."

Asked if the format had been changed, from offering a job to the winner to helping fund a business, because of the case he says, "No, I changed it because of the terrible economic climate. I wanted to demonstrate that we can start a business from scratch in a horrible recession."

Olivia Colman, who is nominated for two awards in Sunday's Baftas, says of her success, "It's weird", modestly adding "I won't win". Asked if she has the frock sorted, she says, "Maybe. I tried it on and the zip split and my boob fell out. And then it took two people to get me out of it. They had to cut the zip off. It was a bit embarrassing."

On her amazing ability to turn on the water-works for roles, Olivia says, "I find story lines really sad and upsetting. My emotions are quite close to the surface and I've got a bit of an overactive imagination. I can't stop it."

Asked by Alan when she knew who the killer was in Broadchurch Olivia says, "Just before episode eight's scripts came out. I was hoping it was me."

And on Broadchurch being re-commissioned, she says, "I know a lot of us in it, when the producer said they were thinking about number two, thought 'It was great, leave well alone', but then they talked us through the idea and we all said, "Oh, that's very good," adding, "But I can't say anything."

Asked if Hollywood has come calling yet, she says, "No, I don't think they've got my number. No-one's called yet."

Hugh Laurie, talking about the end of the long-running US series House, in which he played the lead character, says, "Eight years is a very, very long time. It is, after all longer than it would have taken me to actually qualify as a real doctor."

And on Doctor House's famous limp, he says, "I've got a bit of a permanent pelvic kink. Oddly enough, the first acting job I did after House was set in a hospital and when the director said 'action' my first response was to limp - it was a Pavlovian thing."

Talking about his Blues career he says, "I have thought a lot about the appropriateness of an Englishman trespassing on another culture. It's a big step to take and you have to do it right, respectively and with sincerity. I love the music very, very deeply. It's been an incredible experience and I wouldn't swap it for anything. The more it continues the happier I am."

Hugh performs Wild Honey with The Copper Bottom Band live in the studio.

And finally, after giving Graham some tips on how to be a chatshow host, Alan takes over the Red Chair, proving he is a very hard taskmaster indeed.

Broadcast details

Date
Friday 10th May 2013
Time
10:35pm
Channel
BBC One
Length
50 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Monday 13th May 2013 11:20pm BBC1
Monday 13th May 2013 11:50pm BBC1 Wales
Tuesday 14th May 2013 12:20am BBC1 Scot

Cast & crew

Cast
Graham Norton Host / Presenter
Guest cast
Alan Sugar (as Lord Alan Sugar) Guest
Hugh Laurie Guest
Olivia Colman Guest
Writing team
Rob Colley Writer
Dan Gaster Writer
Production team
Steve Smith Director
Jon Magnusson Series Producer
Mike Altman Producer
Pete Snell Producer
Alan Thorpe Producer
Graham Stuart Executive Producer
Perry Widdowson Editor
Chris Webster Production Designer
Jonathan Whitehead (as Trellis) Composer

Videos

Lord Sugar in charge of the Red Chair

Graham lets Lord Sugar operate the Red Chair.

Featuring: Graham Norton & Lord Alan Sugar.

Olivia Colman's 'funny' teeth

Olivia Colman tells a story of when Meryl Streep mistook her real teeth for fake 'funny' ones.

Featuring: Graham Norton & Olivia Colman.

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