The Graham Norton Show: Who is on tonight as Graham returns to the BBC
Graham was last seen ringing in the New YearThe Graham Norton Show is back tonight with a sofa packed full of A-list guests – so who is on?
Graham was last on screen with his New Year special on December 31 but he is now back in his usual Friday night slot.
It is no surprise that Graham has got on the blower to his good mates in Hollywood to bring us another epic show.
But he’s also got some big name Brit stars gracing his studio this evening.
Intrigued? Read on to find out who is on The Graham Norton Show tonight.
The Graham Norton Show: Who is on tonight?
Graham’s first guest of the night is US actor Chris Pratt. The star will be joining Graham to discuss his new AI thriller, Mercy.
Chris plays the lead role in the Amazon film as Detective Chris Raven. He tells Graham: “It is set in the near distant future and oddly the AI doesn’t seem that farfetched. The story is 90 mins of real time.
“It is a very active movie and such an immersive experience – it keeps you on the edge of your seat. It is awesome, and the reaction to it has been really positive.”
Graham asks Chris if an AI actor could have been used for the AI main role of Judge Maddox, played by American actress Rebecca Ferguson. But Chris was quick to shut the suggestion down.
He replies: “No. Everyone was resistant to that. I don’t think it would have worked. I love AI and use it all the time but as a parent it freaks me out. But it is also so cool.”
Chris has four children with his ex-wife Anna Faris, and three with current wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger. He also tells Graham about exchanging Christmas presents with his famous father-in-law, Arnold.
“Arnie’s love language is going all out with his gifts,” Chris reveals. “One of ours was a six by eight-foot portrait painting of our three children and him dressed as Santa Claus.
“It’s the most beautiful portrait you’ve ever seen. It’s very lifelike and it’s very big. It was really thoughtful, but we’re not sure what we are meant to do with it for the rest of year!”
Cynthia Erivo and Dawn French on The Graham Norton Show
Hollywood star, but original Brit, Cynthia Erivo is also joining Graham tonight. She will be talking about the complexities of taking on a mind-boggling 23 roles in the stage production of Dracula.
Sounds crazy, eh?!
The Wicked actress says to Graham: “It is ridiculous. It is like Kip William’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, but on crack!
“Learning the lines was interesting with all the accents and because of what is on stage and what is filmed. It is a complete brain puzzle.”
Dawn French will be on the show, too. This week, Dawn made her debut in the new BBC show, Can You Keep a Secret?.
The series has been described as a hybrid between a comedy and a thriller, which makes for entertaining viewing. And although she’s hesitant about accepting some roles, she didn’t want to turn this down.
“I am offered a lot of sitcoms, so I originally did not want to do it at all,” Dawn explains to Graham.
“A good one is as rare as hens’ teeth, but this is so good!”
Who else is on?
Rob Beckett will be bringing the laughs tonight. He is going to be telling Graham all about his current Sky series of Rob & Romesh Vs, which he stars in with Romesh Ranganathan.
In the show, the pals are seen entering the worlds of winter Olympic sports and even Shakespeare.
Rob, who isn’t shy when it comes to performing stand-up, found himself quaking in his boots at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. It seems being a thesp is a world away from being a comic!
He admits: “Performing at the Globe was terrifying. There is such a different energy to stand up but we managed a good enough performance.”
Rob also tells Graham about doing a biathlon. This Olympic sport combines cross-country skiing with precision rifle shooting.
“I’ve competed in it but is still don’t understand it,” Rob confesses. “It was awful. Curling was so much better than skiing with a gun on your back.”
Finally, Jack Savoretti will be bringing the music to Graham’s studio tonight. The hunky English-Italian acoustic singer will be performing his new single, We Will Always Be The Way We Were, live.
He will then join Graham and the others to talk about his new album (which is also called We Will Always Be The Way We Were) and his upcoming concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
What time is The Graham Norton Show on tonight?
Graham is back in his usual slot, straight after tonight’s News At 10. The Graham Norton Show starts at 10.40pm and runs for 50 minutes, with an end time of 11.30pm.
The show airs on both BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
It will, of course, finish with Graham pulling the lever on his bight red armchair as audience members try their best to make him laugh.
Welcome back, Graham!
