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 23, Episode 9 - Ethan Hawke, Toni Collette, Aidan Turner, Jo Brand, Liam Payne

Toni Collette says Muriel follows her everywhere, Ethan Hawke talks about Robin Williams, Aiden Turner reveals fall out with scything society, Jo Brand jokes about her fear of flying and Liam Payne says he doesn't understand Spanish despite his new song lyrics.

Preview clips

Further details

Toni Collette, talking about Muriel's Wedding, says "It was 20 years ago and it is still very dear to people. They still shout out to me, 'You're terrible Muriel.' It is slightly bonkers but lovely. I like it now but earlier on in my career it felt inescapable."

Asked about her new (very scary) film, Heredity, and an unfortunate incident in Australia, she says, "Some mothers took their children to see the Peter Rabbit film and my film was among the trailers. They were screaming at the non-existent projectionist to stop the film and covering their children's eyes - I am sure it was a massive trauma!"

Talking more about the film and asked if it is possible to have fun on the set of such a scary movie, she says, "Always. If something is inherently heavy, hilarity rises to the surface. We were laughing all the time."

Ethan Hawke, talking about being recognised for his various film roles, says, "I can have a general guess and get it right. Mothers seem to like Reality Bites - they had my picture up in their locker in high school. There's a certain geek that likes Gattaca, there is a certain earnestness in a Dead Poets Society lover, and a certain toughness to a Training Day fan - 'Jake, where's the money?' You can feel them out as they approach!"

Asked if it's true that he once thought of becoming a priest, he says, "No. I was extremely outgoing as a child and my grandmother said I had a defective gene. She said she would pray for me to become a priest and that the calling would come. I was never quiet again - I never wanted the voice to come. I avoided it!"

Talking about Dead Poet's Society and working with the late great Robin Williams, he says, "That film was 'make or break' for me. I told my sister that if I didn't get the role then I would join the Marines or something.

"Robin was incredibly funny, relaxed and inventive and improvised constantly. The more the crew laughed the more he performed. But I really wanted to be a serious actor and had read Stanislavski. I wanted to be in character so didn't laugh at him. The funnier he was, the more steam came out of my ears. He really teased me about it and I thought he hated me. After the movie came out I got a call from Robin's agent asking to represent me as Robin had told him I was going to be someone one day. He was a lovely gentle man."

Asked about his children seeing Dead Poets Society and referencing the passing of time, he says "Three quarters of way through they asked, 'When do you come on dad?' I said, 'You've been watching me since the start - it was heartbreaking - finally they recognised the old crooked teeth!"

And on opportunities missed, he says, "No one can teach you how to pick parts. I once read the script for Independence Day and mocked it because I was arrogant and thought it terrible. When the movie came out I went to see it with my girlfriend expecting it to be awful and it was a massive hit. After the movie she said, 'You're an idiot.' I have blown it so many times!"

Aiden Turner, talking about that famous image of him as Ross Poldark shirtless and scything, says, "The chairman of the Scything Association came to give me lessons, but it didn't think the proper way to do it looked very impressive, so I just went for it. He tried to give me notes but I didn't take any notice and he left in a bit of a huff."

Asked about being a ballroom dancer in his youth, he says, "That is a bit of a secret. I should have stuck at it but it was too disciplined."

Jo Brand, talking about being recognised, says "It is mainly negative. I was in Sainsbury's the other day and a man came up to me and said, "You look like that s**t comedian!'" And, revealing recognition can happen in the most unlikely places, she adds, "I was having a smear test and the doctor was down at the 'business end' when he said, 'Don't I recognise you?'"

Asked about things that scare her, she says, "I don't like flying at all. I was coming back from Malta and had had a few drinks. I didn't want to be that person but then I suddenly was that person that stood up and said, 'We are all going to die.' The stewardess actually slapped me and pushed me back into my seat. Since then I have done a course at Heathrow. A pilot tells you all about anxiety but it was the 70-year-old in the toilet illegally selling valium that was the most helpful!"

Talking about her new film, The More You Ignore Me, she says, "I am really proud of it but not sure whether it is good or not. I can't really believe it has happened."

Liam Payne performs his new single Familiar live in the studio before joining Graham for a chat. Asked about singing in Spanish, he says, "I thought I should try to learn to have a better understanding, but I don't understand at all. I think it's sexual."

Talking about his son Bear's first birthday party, he says, "I sat at the kid's table and had a great time!"

Asked about his look when he went to Buckingham Palace wearing glasses, he says, "I was aiming for Clark Kent but looked more like Harry Potter!"

Broadcast details

Date
Friday 1st June 2018
Time
10:35pm
Channel
BBC One
Length
45 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Monday 4th June 2018 11:30pm BBC1
Tuesday 5th June 2018 12:25am BBC1 Wales

Cast & crew

Cast
Graham Norton Host / Presenter
Guest cast
Toni Collette Guest
Jo Brand Guest
Liam Payne Guest
Ethan Hawke Guest
Aidan Turner 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
Gurdip Mahal Lighting Designer

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