The Graham Norton Show is a super popular TV show in the United Kingdom. It’s all about chatting and having a good laugh. Graham Norton is the funny guy who hosts the show. He’s been doing this since 2007, and people love him for it.
History of the Graham Norton Show
The show first aired on BBC Two on February 22, 2007. That’s a long time ago! But it was so good that it quickly moved to BBC One in October 2009. So, it’s like an upgrade from a smaller channel to a bigger one.
Initially, it aired on Friday nights, and it took over a slot on BBC One from another famous show called “Friday Night with Jonathan Ross” in 2010. So, Graham Norton was the new king of late-night TV in the UK.
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What Makes the Graham Norton Show Chat Special
The show is famous for a few things:
- Graham’s Monologue: It always starts with Graham Norton telling some funny jokes at the beginning. This part is called a monologue, where he talks about what’s been happening in the world and makes people laugh.
- Adult Humor: The show is not for kids. It has lots of jokes that are meant for grown-ups, and sometimes they talk about things that are a little cheeky.
- Innuendo: They use a lot of innuendo, which means saying something that sounds innocent but has a hidden, often naughty meaning. This is a big part of the show’s humor.
- Flamboyant Presentation: Graham Norton is a lively and colorful host. He wears fancy clothes and does funny things to entertain the audience.
- Awards: The show has won some awards. Graham Norton himself won the British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance three times. It’s like getting an Oscar but for TV.
- Best Comedy Entertainment Programme: In 2015, the show also won an award for being the best comedy entertainment program.
Funny Surprises in Graham Norton Show
The show is known for its surprises. Some of them are related to the guests who come on the show. For example:
- One time, they made a dating website for a guest, Sarah Beeny.
- They put a TARDIS, which is a time machine from the TV show Doctor Who, on the South Bank of the River Thames when actor David Tennant was on the show.
- There was even a time when they got a wine-tasting group to drink wine from famous actor Gérard Depardieu while he was there.
Some of these surprises come from ideas that viewers like you and me send in. They say where they’ll be when the show is recorded, and then the show does something funny with that information.
The “Cooldown” Segment in the Graham Norton Chat show
After the main part of the show, when the band or a musical guest has performed, there’s an extra five-minute bit called the “Cooldown.” This part wasn’t always shown on TV. It was saved for a special weekend repeat called “Graham Norton Uncut.” They also turned it into a podcast that people could listen to later.
In the “Cooldown,” they do fun things like guessing who someone in the audience is dating or playing games like mass charades with the audience. It’s a way to keep the laughter going even after the show is over.
Meeting the Guests on Graham Norton Show
Graham Norton is always joined by interesting guests. After his monologue, he introduces two guests. If there’s a third guest, they come in later during the show. Sometimes, the guests are connected in some way. For example, they might be a famous actor and their spouse.
If there’s a musical guest, things get even more interesting. Some singers, like Enrique Iglesias, are there from the very beginning. Others, like Gareth Gates, come on stage about 5 to 7 minutes before they start singing for a short chat with Graham. Sometimes, musical guests only perform during the end credits and take part in the “Cooldown” segment of the show.
Series of the Graham Norton Show
The show has had many series over the years. The first series started on February 22, 2007, and was supposed to end in May 2007 after 13 episodes. But it was such a hit that they added six more episodes. The second series started on October 11, 2007, and even had a Boxing Day special and a New Year’s compilation from previous episodes.
The show also made its debut in North America on BBC America on June 2, 2007, one week after what was supposed to be the final episode of Series 1 (before they added more episodes).
From Series 3 onward, the “Cooldown” part was dropped, and the show was just the full 45-minute version.
The show continued to be broadcast in a 30-minute version on Thursdays at 10:00 p.m. with “Graham Norton Uncut,” the uncut version, shown on Sundays at 11:00 p.m. in a 45-minute version. However, BBC Two in Wales and BBC Two Northern Ireland sometimes aired the Thursday edition later than the rest of the BBC Two regions due to their local programs.
The fourth series started on October 3, 2008. Since its sixth series, The Graham Norton Show has been airing on BBC One. As of January 2022, there have been 29 series of the show.
In January 2017, Graham Norton signed a new three-year deal with the BBC. This deal meant he would continue hosting The Graham Norton Show on BBC One until at least 2020. Norton said, “I think we’ve just done a deal for another three years, which, right now, feels like a long time.”
Changing Locations of Graham Norton Show
The show has been produced at ITV Studios on London’s Southbank since it began in 2007. Norton had used the London Studios since 1998 for his first talk show on Channel 4, called “So Graham Norton.” But in 2018, they said goodbye to the London Studios and moved production to Studio TC1 at BBC Television Centre in West London. The first episode recorded there aired on April 6, 2018.
International Fame
The Graham Norton Show is not just loved in the UK. It’s famous worldwide. In Scandinavia, the show is shown on cable and satellite channels like BBC Brit. They usually air episodes a week after they first air in the UK.
In Greece, it’s on a pay channel called Cosmote Series HD. They show the episodes in English with Greek subtitles, and it airs just a few days after the UK.
In Latin America, Poland, and many other places in Europe, The Graham Norton Show is on the BBC Entertainment channel. It usually airs a week after the UK.
In the United States, the show first started airing on Saturday nights in June 2007. Then, from 2013, it was on BBC America on Thursdays. After that, it moved around a bit, but it always aired a few days after the UK.
In Canada, it’s on HIFI, and they also show older episodes on BBC Canada.
In Ireland, the show is broadcast on TV3 and 3e, usually a day after it airs in the UK. It used to be on UTV Ireland but moved to TV3. The channel was later renamed “be3,” and then it became Virgin Media One. The show stayed on this channel.
In Australia, it’s on Network 10 on Friday nights, just a week after it airs in the UK. If you have Pay TV (Foxtel), you can watch it on UKTV on Mondays with some repeats on Tuesdays and Saturdays. It used to be on ABC2 from 2007 to 2012.
In New Zealand, it was first on UKTV. Since 2012, it’s been on TV3 on Friday nights.
And in South Asia, including countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives, you can catch The Graham Norton Show on Saturday nights on Comedy Central, just a week after it airs in the UK.
So, even though it started in the UK, The Graham Norton Show is enjoyed by people all around the world. It’s a show where people can relax, have a laugh, and enjoy some good conversations with famous guests. That’s why it’s so loved by many!
