Graham Norton

Graham Norton may be heaving a sigh of relief that Jonathan Ross's ITV chat show finished on Saturday, alleviating competition for guests. Tonight the Telegraph agony uncle's line-up features a strong British contingent: actress Joanna Lumley, whose Greek Odyssey is currently on ITV1, Scottish actor James McAvoy (Atonement), who voices the forthcoming animated movie Arthur Christmas; professional Scouser John Bishop, who brings the jokes; and music from Sheffield combo Arctic Monkeys.

Poor Kate Winslet, she always gets a right going-over for being a bit wiffly and weepy when she accepts awards. But give the girl a break, what's she supposed to do, say "Sod the lot of you, now where's the after-show party?"

Besides, doesn't everyone like seeing actors get a bit theatrically overwrought at these kinds of ceremonies? Anyway, Kate is a game girl so she probably won't mind if Graham Norton has some sport poking fun at her tonight when his fantastic chat show returns after its break.

Winslet will be on the couch talking about her new film Contagion, and she'll be sharing the spotlight with young Jamie Bell, who's come a long, long way from Billy Elliot to star as Tintin in Steven Spielberg's film of Herge's beloved boy adventurer. Rob Brydon also guests, while Noah and the Whale provide the music.

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Oscar-winner Kate Winslet heads up the guest list, as anarchic comedian Graham Norton returns with a new series of his bawdy chat show. Fresh from rescuing Richard Branson's mum from a burning Caribbean island, Winslet is now saving the world from a killer virus in new film Contagion. She's joined by affable comedian Rob Brydon and Billy Elliot star Jamie Bell, picked to voice Tintin in Steven Spielberg's new movie. Music comes from indie folk band Noah and the Whale.

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It's Lady Gaga tonight, but what will she wear? On Ross's BBC1 show she wore a 1930s telephone as a hat, while with Graham Norton she wore a kind of ghost's wedding dress. But it's not all surface: Gaga can be frank, charming and funny if she's in the mood, and Ross is a big fan. More than making up the numbers are Jamie Oliver and Lee Evans.

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This semi-improvised comedy continues to assert itself as top dog of British comedies, delivering more laughs per minute than perhaps any home-grown sitcom of the past decade. A bold claim, perhaps, but week after week Outnumbered brilliantly captures the essence of family life today, in which a generation of middle-class parents are in thrall to their bossy children. We all know a Sue or a Pete (Claire Skinner and Hugh Dennis), who tie themselves in knots trying to do right by their impossible offspring.

The programme also packs in a remarkable number of throwaway jokes. Tonight, for example, Pete is late home from work. "Passenger action on the trains," he says. "I think they were lynching the driver." And the children's quirky interpretations of the world are impressively relevant. The flights of fancy from Karen (Ramona Marquez) tend to be the funniest, thanks to the juxtaposition of solemn observation and her adorable voice. Tonight, when Karen is quizzing her mother on terrorism, Sue mentions that when she was young, the terrorism threat came from Ireland. "The Irish? Are you sure?" squeaks Karen. "You mean people like Graham Norton and Jedward?"

The Jonathan Ross Show was given a fairly low key launch last week given that it was the long-awaited return of a British talk show staple, and followed suit with a similarly muted episode.
Sarah Jessica Parker was candid and Adele as booming as ever but the line-up felt a little lacklustre for an opener.

This was rectified tonight however with an entertaining, albeit slightly random group of guests perching on the Jonathan Ross sofa.
Benedict Cumberbatch talked John Le Carre novels while The Saturdays were a little less prosaic with their insights into the pop industry, but Alan Carr proved the most interesting booking. An odd choice to invite a clear rival onto the show though perhaps, especially since the bespeckled comedian, along with Graham Norton, is arguably surpassing Ross in the talk show stakes at the moment.

With Friday Night With...'s pre-Jools Holland slot the BBC vehicle often saw some good live music and it was pleasing to see that this is to be kept up on ITV, with tonight's performance coming from legendary funksters The Red Hot Chili Peppers, sans departed guitarist John Frusciante.