The Graham Norton Show

Michael J. Fox talks about optimism, Amanda Seyfried chats about her pal Cher, Stephen Fry says being in The Simpsons was thrilling, Nina Sosanya reveals she had no idea how popular Love Actually still is, Jamie Oliver talks about his lockdown series, Tom Allen says his judging skills are better than his cooking abilities, and Dolly Parton performs a very special version of I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.

Michael J. Fox joins Graham from America to chat about his new autobiography, No Time Like The Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality.

Talking about the background to the memoir, he says, "I'm famous for being optimistic - it is sincere, but it can sound glib. I have had Parkinson's for 30 years, I've figured that out and filled my life with joy and achievement, but the first time I was in my house after spinal surgery I slipped and shattered my arm. I was lying there thinking, 'This sucks, I can't put a shiny face on this' and it really depressed me. I tried to work out if this optimism thing was finite and whether it was just a panacea that wasn't working for me. The long and short of it is gratitude. If you can find gratitude in any situation optimism is sustainable."

Revealing that when his son went to college, he replaced him, Michael says, "Suddenly there was my wife, my three daughters and me, and I was drowning in a sea of oestrogen and I needed relief, so I found a rescue dog!"

Asked if there is anywhere in the world that he is not recognised as Marty McFly from Back To The Future, he says, "It's pretty universal - it's amazing the way it has hung in there."

Amanda Seyfried joins Graham from New York, to chat about her new movie Mank, in which she plays actress, producer and screenwriter Marion Davies. Asked about the film and her character, she says, "The backstory of Citizen Kane is of course more fascinating and interesting than what people think they might know. Marion was hilarious and effervescent, and you can't not be glued to her when you are watching her."

Asked about the possibility of being the first Mean Girl to win an Oscar, she says, "Wouldn't that be awesome. It would be nice to be considered. You don't expect this sort of thing to happen - I just want to be able to keep working, but a little spotlight on my performance, I'll take."

Talking about Mamma Mia, and asked if she is still friends with Cher, she says, "I'd like to think we are pals. I have a very nice warm spot in my heart for her and I know she does for me. I was actually going to text her about an elephant the other day."

Asked if this is the 'loneliest elephant in the world' story, she says, "No, there's another elephant that needs rescuing and my friend Lizzie Caplan (Mean Girls) wants me to reach out to Cher and I am going to do it because I can." Adding jokingly, "Cher's now putting an elephant in every room!"

Stephen Fry, describing his new book, Troy, he says, "It is the climax of Greek mythology, when gods and humans get most down and dirty fighting for supremacy and when it ends, it is the end of the gods. It's full of so many stories that people sort of know, but I remember thinking I want to go inside this world."

Asked about voicing a version of himself in The Simpsons this year, he says, "One of the advantages of lockdown for me was that I have a sound booth in my house so I can do audio books and documentary narration and then I got the call to be a guest on The Simpsons - if the US could offer knighthoods that would be it! It was really extraordinary, really thrilling."

Nina Sosanya, talking about her new film, Roald & Beatrix: The Tail Of The Curious Mouse, she says, "I was in the very special bubble with Dawn French. It was kind of amazing. I had three days on set with her and she was the first stranger I had met after lockdown without a face covering. We even shook hands!"

Asked about the popularity of the iconic movie Love Actually, in which she appeared, she admits, "I had no idea how big the film is. I don't watch telly at Christmas so didn't know it is shown every year. I was filming Killing Eve and there was a youngish man working on it who said, 'Can I just say, it's really weird sitting here with you because you are in my house every Christmas - I have grown up with you."

Jamie Oliver, talking about his new cookbook, 7 Ways, he says, "I wrote the book from data, which sounds so boring but basically I found out what people are buying day in and out and based the book on that." Adding jokingly about the research, "I had to get past a lot paracetamol and booze before I got to the food!"

Asked about his award-winning series, Keep Cooking And Carry On, he says: "Two days before lockdown we lost all the TV shows for the year - it all got de-commissioned. Within 16 hours we had the first bespoke show other than news up on TV. Weirdly, I went into some sort of public service mode. We created it out of nothing. It was very hard doing that and looking after the family and I almost threw the towel in after two weeks because River, my youngest, would not stop crying and I was like, 'Just eat the food!'"

Tom Allen, talking about his new autobiography No Shame, he says, "I enjoyed writing it. I found it quite cathartic to put a lot of awkward teenage experiences down on the page and then sent it off thinking, 'That's done.' Then the publisher says they are sending it to all the shops and I'm like, 'What? Wait a minute!'"

Asked about presenting The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice, Tom admits, "I have not been inspired to try my hand at cooking, but I am really good at judging!"

Dolly Parton performs a very special version of I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.