Graham Norton built his career on talking to strangers about what they had done that week, and The Graham Norton Show is the purest form of that instinct. The show ran for 34 seasons on BBC One and BBC Two, airing first on BBC Two from 22 February 2007 before moving to BBC One in October 2009. It ended its run on 6 March 2026.
Norton hosts each episode with a mix of comedy, talk and musical guests, joined sometimes by a band or artist to close the show. The format is simple: Norton opens with a monologue, guests sit down, and the conversation turns to news, gossip and jokes. The show succeeded Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in BBC One’s late-Friday-evening slot in 2010.
The Norton Formula
The show’s appeal rests on Norton’s delivery. His opening monologue sets the tone for the hour, and the show leans on adult humour and innuendo-laden dialogue. The presentation is flamboyant, and that style earned him recognition over the years.
Awards and Recognition
Norton has received a number of awards for his work on the show. He won the British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance three times: 2011, 2012 and 2018. The show itself took the British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy Entertainment Programme in 2015.
What Works
The show succeeds when Norton finds a guest willing to play along. The best episodes feature guests who are relaxed enough to let the conversation drift into absurd territory, and Norton knows how to steer the ship without losing the audience. The musical closers can be a highlight too, though they are not always essential to the evening.
What Doesn’t Work
Not every episode lands. Some guests are tight, and the show can feel like a succession of awkward pauses rather than a conversation. The format depends heavily on chemistry, and when that chemistry fails, the whole thing drags.
Key Dates
- The show began on BBC Two on 22 February 2007.
- It moved to BBC One in October 2009.
- It succeeded Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in the late-Friday-evening slot in 2010.
- The final episode aired on 6 March 2026.
Final Word
The Graham Norton Show is a reliable piece of British television. Norton’s charm and wit carry the show through its 34 seasons, and the best episodes justify the investment of time.
The show earns a 7.2 out of 10.
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