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 20, Episode 10 - Carrie Fisher, Grayson Perry, Sandi Toksvig, Nadiya Hussain, Busted

Carrie Fisher talks about that affair, Grayson Perry 'fesses up' to being masculine, Sandi Toksvig finds Graham's most intelligent audience member, while Nadiya Hussain reveals an embarrassing moment with a Bake Off fan. Busted perform live in the studio.

Preview clips

Further details

Carrie Fisher, talking about her new book, The Princess Diarist, in which she reveals her affair with her Star Wars' co-star Harrison Ford, says, "I had no idea it would cause such a sensation. 400,000 news sites picked up on it and it became a little embarrassing. They made a lot of things up which I've now have to talk about - I never said he was bad in bed!"

Talking more about her diaries, "I had forgotten I had written them. They saddened me because I didn't recall that I was so insecure but I do sound like a 19-year-old girl who's having an affair with a 34 year-old man! I haven't altered them at all but wanted to take stuff out of the book, I should have taken stuff out."

Asked if she had qualms about including the story about Harrison Ford, Carrie says, "I waited 40 years! It's an old story. I told him, 'I've found the diaries I kept during the first Star Wars and I'm thinking of publishing them.' He joked about sending for a lawyer so he was aware of them and I told him that if there was anything he didn't like he should let me know. I sent them to him and waited for him to get back to me. He is incredibly private and I am sure the whole thing bugged him but he comes out of it well. I liked him."

Revealing that they kept the affair completely secret, she says, "I promise you no one knew - not even Mark Hamill and when I told him he was shocked. Harrison and I never spoke about it again. I saw him a lot because I became friends with his second wife and I can remember three times when we were all together that I, of course, made an oblique reference to it and he just grunted! I do feel guilty - I never thought about it before, but I guess he will be asked about the affair for the rest of his life!"

Talking about Princess Leia's distinctive look, Carrie says, "The buns were my fault! They were trying on lots of bad hair and finally they tried on the buns and I thought, 'They are as bad as the rest,' but they went with them. I have a very round face so why would you add more hair at the sides to keep it going?" Revealing their advantage, she says, "I could hide earplugs in there so the loud noised didn't startle me!"

Talking about a real princess, she says, "I was at the royal premiere of The Empire Strikes Back and we were waiting for Princess Margaret to come down the line and I sort of mentioned to Alex Guinness, Harrison and Mark that my father had slept with Princess Margaret - there was a huge kerfuffle!"

Grayson Perry, talking about his distinctive look and how people now expect him to dress as a woman, he says, "People are now disappointed if I don't wear a dress. The other day I pulled up at some road works while riding my bicycle and the man digging the hole looked up and said, 'Shouldn't you be in a dress?' Even he was disappointed!"

Asked about his new book The Descent of Man, in which he challenges masculinity, he says, "There is a sort of redundancy about masculinity now. What spurred me on was sometimes thinking that female news readers really should just say, 'Let's see what s**t men have been up to now.' I talk about how we can change it. Men might like the change, it might be nice." Adding, "I do fess up to being very male - I've been a 'road-rager' and if you get me on my bicycle I am terribly competitive - I don't like to be beaten."

Sandi Toksvig, talking about QI and being the first female mainstream quiz show host, jokes, "As the host, they tell you answers beforehand so it's not that difficult and the cue cards are not as heavy as I was led to believe!" Adding, "It's been okay and I love it. Absolutely love it."

Asked about stepping into Stephen Fry's sizable shoes, she says, "I tell you the secret, it's the same chair Stephen had and he is incredibly tall. I'm actually on a box on the chair so I am raised up like it's a high chair. I've known Stephen since I was 19 so it's a good fit. He's done the first half of the alphabet and I will hopefully see it through to the end."

Nadiya Hussain joins Graham for a chat. Talking about the instant fame that greeted her after winning Bake Off, she says, "There was a weird gap between winning and everyone knowing but now I am recognised wherever I go. I wish I had slept during the six week run of the show because I haven't slept much since!"

Asked more about being recognised, she says, "It's not a bad thing and generally people are so nice but sometimes there are some not such nice moments - I recently went for my smear test and I was thinking, 'I want to get his over with so please, please don't recognise me.' At the 'speculum moment', the nurse said, 'So is Paul Hollywood that good looking?' I was mortified!"

Asked about her inspiring winner's speech, she says, "I didn't rehearse it and I must have been the editor's nightmare because I cried for 30 minutes before saying anything. I actually can't remember the moment I won. All I remember is staring at my shoes and thinking that they needed to go in the washing machine because they were covered in icing sugar. I really didn't think I would get to the final, let alone win."

Talking about Bake Off opening doors she never dreamed of, including baking for The Queen, she says, "That was the most nervous I have ever been. The Queen introduced me to Prince Philip by saying, 'This is the young lady that won the baking competition.' And he said, 'Yes dear, I know who she is, but what flavour is the cake?'" Nadiya adds, "Even my dad now introduces me as 'The daughter that made the birthday cake for The Queen.' I don't have a name anymore! He's very proud."

Asked about her plan to re-marry her husband, she says, "The first time round I had an arranged Islamic marriage here and a ceremony in Bangladesh. I knew nobody - just my mum and my dad - and my husband, who I had only seen once. I thought he was good looking, but marriage is a whole lot of lifetime!" He's alright now - I quite like him! That's why I want to get married again - I'll actually mean it this time!"

Asked if she would arrange marriages for her children, she jokes, "I'll leave it to them. I couldn't be bothered!"

Busted perform On What You're On live in the studio before joining Graham for a chat about their new album.

Broadcast details

Date
Friday 9th December 2016
Time
10:35pm
Channel
BBC One
Length
50 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Tuesday 13th December 2016 12:00am BBC1
Tuesday 13th December 2016 12:25am BBC1 Scot
Tuesday 13th December 2016 12:25am BBC1 Wales

Cast & crew

Cast
Graham Norton Host / Presenter
Guest cast
Sandi Toksvig Guest
Carrie Fisher Guest
Nadiya Hussain Guest
Grayson Perry Guest
James Bourne (as Busted) Guest
Matt Willis (as Busted) Guest
Charlie Simpson (as Busted) Guest
Writing team
Rob Colley Writer
Christine Rose Writer
Production team
Steve Smith Director
Jon Magnusson Series Producer
Rina Dayalji Producer
Pete Snell Producer
Vicky Taylor Producer
Graham Stuart Executive Producer
Perry Widdowson Editor
Chris Webster Production Designer
Mandy Furlonger Make-up Designer
Jonathan Whitehead (as Trellis) Composer

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