Graham Norton

Graham Norton, Keith Lemon to be Let's Dance judges

Graham Norton, Keith Lemon and Inbetweeners star Greg Davies are the judges in the first episode of Let's Dance For Comic Relief 2012.

This comedy panel show offers a fresh twist by having its contestants ask each other questions. Dave Lamb, now best known as the voice of Come Dine with Me[/i], acts as the show's "fact checker" in case of disputes. But it's all made rather non-combative by seating the panel in laid-back armchairs. After a pilot last May, it's now launching as a series, with Graham Norton, Sandi Toksvig and Marcus Brigstocke as guests and Armstrong as head prefect.

Graham Norton exudes charm as he gently mocks the celebrities that rotate around the chat show circuit, publicising their latest project. This week actress Reese Witherspoon is Norton's guest, ahead of the release of her action comedy, This Means War, on Valentine's Day. Joining her on the sofa is Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen, who plays Sigmund Freud in A Dangerous Method.

Graham Norton's sofa is blessed with acting heavyweights tonight. The titillating talk-show host is joined by Liam Neeson (whose new movie The Grey, about a plane crash, comes out at the end of this month) and Trekkie-turned-Shakespearean Patrick Stewart, who will be appearing in Bingo at the Young Vic. Light relief comes from curly-haired comedian Alan Davies, who has been touring Australia with his new stand-up show, with music provided by soppy balladeer Ed Sheeran.

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.

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.

Jonathan Ross returned tonight with another roster of famous faces gracing his slightly nauseating ITV set and actually, it was good to have him back.

Sure, many viewers have concluded in his BBC absence that Graham Norton is actually the far funnier, warmer and less self-indulgent chat show host, but Ross is still a competent presenter within the format.

Besides which, he can still pull in some big names, as he proved on tonight's show.
First up was Professor Brian Cox, who charmed Ross and the audience alike with his scientific banter and use of something called a Van Der Graaf generator (best not to ask) to help give the eponymous host some extra oomph in his hair.

Slightly less charming - but as funny as ever - was comedian John Bishop, who regaled us with anecdotes from his involvement in Sport Relief, leading seamlessly on to the three young athletes who were next to stir things up on Ross' sofa.

It's too early in the year for us to have Olympic fatigue already - although we're close - so the presence of swimmer Francesca Halsall, heptathlete Louise Hazel and Taekwondo champion Jade Jones was welcome as the trio talked through their hopes to rake in the gold for Britain this summer and challenged Ross and his guests to some physical activity in the studio.

And to top it all off, rising US songstress Lana Del Ray appeared on the show and mesmerised everyone with That Voice and Those Lips.

As series launches go, this was a good'un.

Graham Norton triggers hunt after home burgled

Graham Norton has kicked off nationwide hunt for his stolen car after burglars took the vehicle in a break-in.

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.