The 15 funniest Graham Norton Show moments of all time
From Greg Davies' stories to Lewis Capaldi's appearances, these are the best Graham Norton show moments ever
The Graham Norton Show is still the best talk show on TV, and after more than 15 years, these are its funniest moments (so far).
That’s not to say other programmes aren’t good. The Jonathan Ross Show (though not on the same level as its heyday) still attracts great guests, and US talk shows have produced some of the most famous hosts in the world.
However, Norton reigns supreme. He just has it: immediate charm, an infallibly quick wit, and most importantly, the instinct to give his guests the space they need to make everyone laugh.
Clips, old and new, are shared on social media all the time; it’s no surprise The Graham Norton Show has more than 5.5 million subscribers on YouTube. We were spoiled for choice, but these are the show’s funniest moments to date.
***Warning: videos may contain strong language and adult humour***
15. Mark Ruffalo mocks Josh Widdicombe
Not every memorable Graham Norton moment is a lengthy story. In this case, it’s an unprompted, hilariously savage one-liner at Josh Widdicombe’s expense… from Mark Ruffalo.
During an appearance on the couch with Ruffalo, Elizabeth Olsen, and Jeremy Renner, Norton asks Widdicombe to tell him his biggest fear. Before he can answer, Ruffalo jumps and asks, “Girls over 12?”
Nobody expected it, and even after watching it dozens of times, it’s amazingly out of character. It’s a great example of how The Graham Norton Show brings out the best in its guests – although Widdicombe probably doesn’t agree.
14. John Krasinski’s customs agent story
Emily Blunt is one of Britain’s biggest Hollywood exports. So, whenever she appears on The Graham Norton Show with her husband John Krasinski, he tends to be the butt of the jokes.
On this occasion, he recounts an encounter with a UK customs agent who was categorically unimpressed to meet him. As Krasinski says, “strike one” was admitting he was in the US version of The Office.
It got worse when he revealed he was married to Blunt, and the agent was flabbergasted. It’s a wonderfully self-depracating story, and their appearances on the show together are all brilliant.
If you like Krasinski and Blunt, A Quiet Place is available to stream, and it’s one of the best horror movies on Netflix.
13. Robbie Williams’ castle story
When Robbie Williams says, “I’ll get in a lot of trouble for telling this story,” you know it’s going to be good.
Is this among the most outrageous stories ever told on The Graham Norton Show? Yes, but that becomes clear as soon as he says the words “morning glory.”
The story effectively boils down to his sexual interaction with a fan (whom Williams believed to be a cleaner). But it’s not just the story that’s hilarious, it’s everyone else’s reactions – especially Anna Kendrick’s shocked expression.
12. Ryan Gosling’s mysterious cellophane connection
Ryan Gosling has appeared on The Graham Norton Show multiple times. You make a list of his funniest moments alone, but the cellophane story is the best.
As Norton is wont to do, he brings up Gosling’s connection to cellophane. He gets amusingly cagey about the whole anecdote, until he cracks when Harrison Ford asks him about the uses of cellophane.
“That’s a weird story,” he says, with a wry smile. To make it even better, Norton brings it full circle after Ford tells a rather gnarly carpentry story about someone losing a finger.
“If only you had some cellophane,” he jokes.
11. Tom Cruise’s Donald Duck impression
There’s important context behind this moment with Tom Cruise. It comes during an appearance on the couch with Seth McFarlane, the creator of Family Guy, a show that has made jokes about rumours of Cruise being gay and his connection to Scientology.
You would expect Cruise to be a little frosty with McFarlane, but he isn’t. In fact, he cacklees at all of his amazing impressions and even offers up one of his own: Donald Duck.
There are no words, and it lasts a couple of seconds. It’s just a sneeze… that happens to be one of the best Donald Duck impressions you’ll ever hear.
10. Miriam Margolyes makes Matthew Perry uncomfortable
Miriam Margolyes has no filter. So, it makes sense that her funniest moment on The Graham Norton Show is something nobody else would ever say on live TV.
While sitting on the couch with Matthew Perry and Gemma Arterton, Margoyles recalled feeling starstruck as she waited to get an autograph from Laurence Olivier.
“He came out… and I remember, so distinctly, that I started to cream in my knickers,” she says.
Everybody’s reactions are amazing: Perry’s aghast expression (“I honestly don’t think I’ve ever been more uncomfortable in my life”), Arterton’s disbelief, and Norton cracking up.
9. Tom Hiddleston’s impressions
Tom Hiddleston always steals the show when he appears on Graham Norton, but his impressions of Robert De Niro and the host himself are his best work.
During an appearance on the couch with De Niro, Anne Hathaway, and Kenneth Branagh, Norton prompts him to show off his best celebrity impressions. He cycles through a few, before amusing De Niro with his recreation of the diner scene from Heat.
That’s funny, but the best bit comes next when he does an off-the-cuff impression of Norton. Hathaway’s earnest laugh sums it up better than we could.
8. Graham Norton fooling Emma Stone
Norton may be the unsung hero of most of the show’s funniest moments, but he’s an active participant in this one.
While promoting The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Stone appeared on the show and gushed about the Spice Girls. Norton asks, “So you’ve never met a Spice Girl?”
Stone is immediately anxious (and excited), believing Norton had planned a surprise guest. Unfortunately for her, after about 30 seconds and a drumroll, Norton confesses, “They’re not here.”
7. Elizabeth Banks one-ups Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais is comedy gold whenever he shows up on The Graham Norton Show. Alas, his funniest moment isn’t anything he said: it’s his reaction to Elizabeth Banks’ perfectly timed jibe.
While discussing his experiences hosting the Golden Globes, Banks mentions meeting him for the first time at one of the ceremonies. He lies about remembering it, which she calls him out on straight away.
“In my defence, there were loads of people coming over,” he explains, and Banks cuts him off and says, “Really? You were standing by yourself when I came over.”
Gervais bursts out laughing; like any good comedian, he knew he couldn’t top that.
6. Benedict Cumberbatch saying “penguin”
Benedict Cumberbatch is probably still traumatised by this appearance on Graham Norton. Over 10 years later, it’s still one of the funniest moments to ever air on the show.
After getting him to do a few impressions, Norton fills Cumberbatch with horror by revealing fans’ most common question: “Ask Benedict to say the word ‘penguin’.”
It turns out Cumberbatch narrated a documentary about the South Pacific that featured penguins. Norton plays a clip, and every time Cumberbatch says penguin, it sounds a little different (and more incorrect). Fortunately, he seems to find it incredibly funny, even though he says it’s “mortifying.”
5. Rowan Atkinson’s Mr Bean lookalike story
As Rowan Atkinson says, Mr Bean has a “global outreach”. Everyone knows who he is in some capacity, which makes this story even funnier.
While on the couch, Atkinson recalls meeting someone at a garage who half-recognised him but refused to believe he was who he said he was.
It’s a good-natured, expertly told story. That’s why Jeff Goldblum looks absolutely mesmerised, and it’s why it’s on this list.
4. Patrick Stewart’s circumcision story
When you search for this clip on YouTube, The Graham Norton Show describes it as a “ridiculous” story. That is true, but it’s also glorious.
After Norton prompts him, Stewart explains how he had a disagreement with his wife about whether or not he’s circumcised. He gets hilariously irate reliving the argument, and Hugh Jackman can’t stop laughing.
The story is great, but Stewart’s expression after he finishes telling it is priceless. “I have grandchildren watching this show!” he exclaims.
3. Everything Lewis Capaldi says
Lewis Capaldi has appeared on The Graham Norton Show three times. This is unfair to the other guests, but they’re all in contention for its funniest moments.
For example, his unforgettable words to Jamie Dornan: “I’m used to seeing you in Fifty Shades of Grey. It’s weird seeing you here without a whip in your hand, and me without my [bleep] in mine.”
There’s also the more recent moment when he directly addressed the people of Leeds (the only location with tickets available to his tour). “Leeds, what the [bleep] are you playing at?” he says, even making Taylor Swift laugh.
Best of all, his first appearance on the show with Jim Carrey, Margot Robbie, Daniel Kaluuya, and Jodie Turner-Smith.
2. Olivia Colman accidentally insults Jack Whitehall
Olivia Colman has a few clips that’d be eligible for this list, but this moment went especially viral – and it deserves to be (almost) at the top.
She was appearing on the show with Jack Whitehall, who was promoting his Clifford the Big Red Dog movie. Norton points out that it was a “breakthrough role” because he was using an American accent in the scene they showed.
“What, in that clip?” Colman asks, and the roof goes off. “Olivia!” Whitehall shouts, and Colman looks incredibly flustered and guilty. Luckily, Whitehall doesn’t take it personally, and they all laugh it off.
1. Greg Davies’ hungover teaching story
There was only one person who could claim to have the funniest moment on The Graham Norton Show… and that’s Greg Davies.
He’s told some extraordinary stories over the years, but if we could only pick one, it’d be his story about being hungover at school.
That’s an oversimplification (to say the least). As Davies explains, when he was a teacher, he got drunk and ate a curry on a school night. The next day, he felt rather uncomfortable, and… well, we won’t spoil the rest. You can watch the whole thing below – we guarantee you’ll be laughing as much as Ryan Gosling.
Read more: The best films on BBC iPlayer you can watch now
The Graham Norton Show resumes on BBC One and iPlayer tonight (November 7) at 10:40pm.
