Helen Mirren

The Duke review

Jim Broadbent steals the show in Ealing-style heist comedy.

The Duke review

Helen Mirren and Jim Broadbent shine in this zingy Ealing-style caper.

The Duke review

Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren give heart to a very English heist comedy.

In the first of a new series, a guest who has fabulousness etched through her like a stick of rock: Dame Helen Mirren, star of Catherine the Great. What's the betting she will get on famously with the equally divine RuPaul, promoting the new UK Drag Race? Also, Simon Reeve and music from singer Normani.

For many years now Norton, a latter-day Russell Harty, has charmed anecdotes from guests - epitomised by Liam Neeson's recent account of how he became smitten with Helen Mirren on the set of Excalibur. Now, aided by Miriam Margolyes and Rob Brydon, he analyses what it takes to tell a good tale.

There's an unashamedly Great British feel to this transatlantic production of Douglas Adams's funny sci-fi novel. Having dressing-gowned Martin Freeman as befuddled space traveller Arthur Dent is like Doctor Who gatecrashing Star Wars. But it's a witty, beautifully designed adventure, with starry comic turns from Bill Nighy, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren.

Preview - The Graham Norton Show

With the 2017 movie scene kicking off to a good start with the likes of award winning productions such as La La Land and Lion, and new music from Ed Sheeran and Coldplay, The Graham Norton Show's most recent series has had a rather star-studded guest line-up.

Norton introduces some of his favourite moments from the past 14 shows in this series closer, featuring the usual roster of A-listers; the likes of Helen Mirren, Russell Crowe and Samuel L Jackson. Given his guests' extraordinary willingness to bare their souls and more, we may well be treated again to Dame Joan Collins opening up about her late sister or Hugh Grant breezily revealing how many of his leading ladies couldn't stand him.

Dave Podmore, who first came before the public in the pages of this newspaper, is a comic creation for our times, which are increasingly brought to us courtesy of a sponsor. The core truth of the Podmore project is that first-class cricketers feel entitled to the same rewards as top footballers. Since they don't get them they make up the difference in VAT scams and having their names written on the side of their free cars. This can earn them seven-and-a-half grand, apparently. That's what the titular oaf of Dave Podmore's Ashes Shame (Sun, 7.15pm, R4) tells the actor playing young England star Joe Root, when he can tear him away from his Scalextric.

As a player, Dave never scaled the heights that Root is already acquainted with, and of late he has known hard times. He lost his prestigious post as Twitter coach to the England women's team, his Rhodesian ridgeback Saxon has been shot by the police for killing foxes, and even his lovely wife Jackie has temporarily deserted him to set up a vajazzle franchise in the Emirates. Nevertheless, Dave's buoyancy remains breathtaking, particularly so when placed at the service of his awesome ignorance. There is no sum of money too small for him to discuss. "If it hasn't got Helen Mirren's face on it, it's not legal tender," he warns. This episode has been re-edited since I heard it, to take account of Julia Gillard's stepping down from Australia's highest office. Come the Ashes, Pod will no doubt be knocking out cassettes of the original in the beer tent at Trent Bridge.

Norton has secured another cast-iron Hollywood line-up as Richard Gere and John Malkovich grace the red sofa, with young actress Saoirse Ronan as the rose between two thorns.

Gere is probably best known now more as a Buddhist and a campaigner for a free Tibet than for his films, while Malkovich is still busy making movies, including the zombie comedy Warm Bodies, and Red 2 with Helen Mirren and Bruce Willis as a bunch of retired assassins returning for another dangerous job. Taylor Swift sings live in the studio.