Madonna's much-trumpeted appearance last week may prove a hard act to follow, but tonight's line-up looks more down to earth at least. Frank Skinner makes his second appearance on our screens this evening, after his debut turn as host of Room 101, and Kenneth Branagh turns up after pulling out of a guest spot last month. Scrubs star Zach Braff, who's about to take his first bow on the West End stage in a play he's written, completes the line-up.

Madonna gives Graham Norton an extra million viewers

Graham Norton's dream guest, Madonna, helped pull him in an extra million viewers for his BBC1 chat show.

Madonna talks marriage, movies and motherhood and reveals what she really thinks of Lady Gaga in the interview Graham Norton has been waiting all his career to get.

When it was first announced that Madge would be gracing his show with her presence, he exclaimed: "I may have to retire!" In the interview, which was prerecorded on Wednesday, Madonna also reveals the brilliant title of her next album.

But the real reason she's on the show is to plug her new movie, W.E. - her uniquely personal take on the Wallis Simpson story.

That Madonna thought it necessary to join the film's stars Andrea Riseborough and James D'Arcy on Graham's sofa should give you a rough idea of what a thorough pasting this movie has got from the critics, but that's by the by.

Madonna isn't the most chatty of celebrities and doesn't grant her favours lightly, so Norton has secured quite a coup tonight. Of course, the infamous pop chameleon isn't doing him a favour - she's in the studio to talk about her new film about Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, W.E. - which should be interesting as it was given a right pasting by some critics after its unveiling at the Venice Film Festival last September.

Expect Olympic levels of glitter, fanfare and A-list excitement on Graham Norton's show tonight, as Madonna, shape-shifting queen of pop, arrives in the studio to discuss her life, career and the forthcoming release of W.E. - a romantic drama about the life of Wallis Simpson, which she co-wrote and directed. James D'Arcy and Andrea Riseborough, who play King Edward VIII and Simpson, also drop in to talk about their roles.

Gerard Butler has made some stinkers in his time (The Bounty Hunter, Phantom of the Opera and The Ugly Truth to name a few), but one role he did do rather well in was the muscle-bound comic adaptation 300. This makes his casting as Coriolanus's fearsome nemesis, Aufidius, in Ralph Fiennes's upcoming brutal film version of Shakespeare's play seem rather apt. Butler joins Graham Norton along with Doctor Who star Karen Gillan and Noel Gallagher - who also performs his new single.

Norton has opted for a "best of British" line-up tonight, with thesp and director Kenneth Branagh in to discuss the prosthetic chin he wore to play Laurence Olivier in My Week with Marilyn, comedian Russell Kane to push his DVD of innocuous Essex jokes, and actor Matt Smith to, hopefully, reveal all about the Doctor Who Christmas special.

Robert Downey Jr was last on the show in 2009, promoting Guy Ritchie's film Sherlock Holmes. He declared it "the strangest show I've ever been on" as Norton turned his back on the star and played around on his laptop for several minutes.

Downey Jr then had to use a flannel to wipe custard-pie foam off the face of fellow guest, comedian Ed Byrne, before listening to Will Young singing.

None of this seems to have put him off returning to talk about Ritchie's sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, although this time he's got his Watson (Jude Law) to keep him company, and plenty else to talk about in the form of his second child, who's due in February.

Hollywood comes calling to the sofa: a double act of Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek, in town to promote their new Shrek spin-off movie Puss in Boots. The two may well talk about why they've appeared together so often on screen (six movies), while fellow guest Jimmy Carr quips from the sidelines. A musical contribution from Coldplay, performing the new single, is the cherry on the cake.

Infinitely more lovable than Jonathan Ross, a shiny-suited Norton welcomes another four guests to his boisterous Friday night chat show. Gavin and Stacey's James Corden will be insisting we take him seriously following the stellar run of One Man, Two Guvnors at the National. Expect a torrent of jokes as fellow comedian Sarah Millican and Bradley Cooper of The Hangover Part II will also be vying for attention on the red sofa, while rock star Lenny Kravitz performs.