Interview: Graham Norton

The presenter doesn't believe in guilty pleasures, cries over Long Lost Family and gets ready while watching Strictly...

Graham Norton: The X Factor has 'lost its credibility'

TV presenter Graham Norton says he has not watched The X Factor for years because "it's lost its credibility".

Graham Norton interview

His new book is about all the things he adores, dogs, divas and alcohol but Graham Norton is also a strong supporter of the BBC and not just because it employs him.

Radio Times review

It's been another gem of a series. Week by week Norton makes getting the best from A-listers and choreographing good-natured but sharp-edged chat look easy. If he hasn't been cheering up your Friday nights, catch the highlights of the run here - sure to include Chris Pratt's TOWIE impression, George Clooney describing his honeymoon and Seth McFarlane singing "Cyndi Laupe" in a Stewie-from-Family-Guy voice.

Graham Norton: I'll retire before I'm 60

The chat show king, 52, says he plans to get out of TV within eight years and still hasn't given up hope of finding someone to share the rest of his life.

Radio Times review

Well, he said he's be back - and he is. Arnold Schwarzenegger is on the red sofa, proving that a sex scandal, an illegitimate child with the maid and a political career can't keep an actor from cinema screens for too long. Nor from British television, with those arch insurance ads.

Schwarzenegger will be plugging Terminator Genisys (not a spelling error) with his co-star Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones). She plays Sarah Connor, mum of world-saving John Connor and of course Schwarzenegger is a cyborg with a heart.

Also guesting are Jake Gyllenhaal and model/actress/staple of every glossy magazine, Cara Delevingne. Music is supplied by Tinie Tempah.

Radio Times review

Graham Norton will have good reason to feel anxious before this show, with Mark Wahlberg as a returning guest. Last time the actor appeared on the red sofa he was rather, ahem, refreshed.

It was an excruciating hour as Wahlberg sat on Norton's knee and stroked his chest, to the host's obvious embarrassment ("OK, that's wrong, don't touch the man there") as he shooed the slurring star away.

So let's see if Wahlberg can steer clear of the red wine when he guests with Seth MacFarlane to talk about their new film, Ted 2, the follow-up to the foul-mouthed but curiously touching Ted. Music is from Cyndi Lauper, the girl who just wants to have fun.

Radio Times review

Samuel L Jackson is no stranger to Graham's red sofa having been a guest on the show several times. And it's no wonder they ask him back. The most badass actor in Hollywood is terrific value, littering his conversation with expletives, self-deprecating remarks, funny stories and sharp one-liners. Stephen Merchant will doubtless be equally amusing about doing "some proper acting" in the West End, and also on display is American comedian Amy Schumer, whose Bridesmaids-style film Trainwreck is out this summer.

This week, Hollywood star Samuel L Jackson promotes action-adventure movie Big Game, which finds him starring as the US president, a man stranded in the Finnish wilderness after terrorists target Air Force One. Joining him will be actor and writer Stephen Merchant, and US standup Amy Schumer. Power trio Muse provide the music.

Radio Times review

Hang on - a few weeks ago, Miranda Hart appeared on the show to promote her new comedy-action film Spy, and tonight co-stars Jude Law and Melissa McCarthy show up too. Norton must really like that film. McCarthy became a top Hollywood leading woman after her role in Bridesmaids and has signed on to appear as Tinkerbell in a comedy about Peter Pan characters, which sounds promising. Chris Pratt is also invited, to discuss his role in Jurassic World.

Plus there's music from Florence + the Machine (remember them?) and at the comedy end of the sofa, John Bishop, who at the Baftas described the bearded Norton as looking like the love-child of Father Christmas and Louis Walsh. Harsh.