Robert De Niro

Bow down: the Boss is in the house tonight. Yes, Bruce Springsteen, who's rarely seen touting his wares on a chatshow, joins Robert De Niro and Paul Rudd on the sofa. The magic comes when the celebrities entertain each other with stories, while Norton wisely sits back and listens.

Radio Times review

The relentless, competitive maleness of The Trip to Italy is leavened by the arrival of Coogan's chirpy PA Emma and Spanish photographer Yolanda, who are in Rome to do a photoshoot with the boys.

The quartet have romantic history, as anyone who saw the first series will know, and there are some tender flirtations. But the group are easy with one another as they explore the lives of doomed poets Keats and Shelley.

Of course, impressions are never far away and when someone mentions Sicily, Brydon launches into his Marlon Brando/Godfather in a riff that turns into an extraordinary little scene about Jimmy Savile.

Of all the episodes so far, this feels closest to self-indulgence, but it's hard to sniff at anything that features Steve Coogan doing Robert de Niro as a foul-mouthed Frankenstein's monster.

Steve Coogan spent most of his time on the original series of The Trip getting irritated by travelling and dining companion Rob Brydon.

But it hasn't put them off embarking on another culinary journey together, this time in Italy.

Apparently, much has changed in the lives of the two comedians since their virgin voyage around the Lake District in 2010.

"Rob, tired from the responsibilities of being the father of a young child, is looking for some adventure," reveals a show insider.

"Steve, meanwhile, has been living a life of abstinence and hard work in Los Angeles but, now on a hiatus from his job there, has the time to come back to Europe and wants to see his children."

This second series is again directed by acclaimed documentary maker Michael Winterbottom, and it takes in the stunning scenery of Capri, Tuscany and the Amalfi coast.

Otherwise, it's business as usual, complete with their impersonations of the likes of Tom Hardy - who they're both rubbish at! - Michael Caine and Robert De Niro.

Beautiful views, mouthwatering food and guaranteed sunshine - it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it...

The movie publicity machine goes into overdrive as Norton welcomes a bevy of cinematic talent on to his couch. Topping the bill are Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone, hoping to pack a heavyweight Hollywood punch with new boxing movie Grudge Match, Jonah Hill bigs up his part in The Wolf Of Wall Street (starring Leonardo DiCaprio) while, flying the flag for British talent, Carey Mulligan plugs Inside Llewyn Davis, the Coen brothers' film surprisingly overlooked by the Baftas.

It's been another winning year for Graham Norton - great guests (his New Year's Eve line-up this year was extraordinary) and great audience figures. Even if you saw every episode of the most recent series these best-bit compilations are always worth a look. So prepare to relive the good and the bad.

The good include Lady Gaga forging an unlikely, instant friendship with EastEnders' Dot Cotton, June Brown; the two Doctors Matt Smith and David Tennant taking fan questions; and Paul McCartney talking about his collaboration with Michael Jackson. And the bad? Michelle Pfeiffer and a very unforthcoming Robert De Niro looking bored and baffled as Cher and Jennifer Saunders stole the show. And Harrison Ford seemingly very unimpressed by Jack Whitehall.

Hollywood glamour descends on Norton's soft furnishings as Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer chat about playing ex-mafiosos living under witness protection in The Family, Luc Besson's new gangster romp set in France.

Swooping in to join the happy throng are Cher, giving us a taste of new album Closer To The Truth, and home-grown comedy heroine Jennifer Saunders, who's just jotted down her life in a book - Bonkers: My Life In Laughs.

The Graham Norton Show has real A-list quality tonight

Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Cher and Jennifer Saunders make for a vintage line-up on the BBC One chat show.

You could play a game of consequences with Graham Norton's guests this week. Norton once shared screen time with guest Michelle Pfeiffer in a film called I Could Never Be Your Woman. Pfeiffer was of course in The Witches of Eastwick with Cher. And Jennifer Saunders once did a rather fine Cher impression/parody on her sketch show. Whether the guests will be sharing memories of all this may depend on whether they can stop the famously outgoing Robert De Niro from hogging the conversation.