The Graham Norton Show

Graham's sofa features Hollywood hunk Gerard Butler, starring in the movie Coriolanus; Doctor Who assistant Karen Gillan; star of The Office, Sherlock and the upcoming The Hobbit movie, Martin Freeman; and Britpop icon Noel Gallagher, who also performs If I Had A Gun.

On his recent near-death experience, while making his new surfing movie Mavericks, Gerard Butler says "This was maybe one of the few times that the reports were not exaggerated. It was a pretty close call." Explaining how he was swept under several gigantic waves, he says, "They just took me and I couldn't get up. It was pretty hairy."

"In the movie, I put in a scene about a 'two wave hold down' when you are down for so long that the next wave comes over before you get back up and that's what happened to me. I actually thought they will get me later and resuscitate me. They finally grabbed me just as another huge wave was coming in - it was just like a movie! In fact, everything I talked about happening in the movie happened to me."

Claiming it hasn't put him off surfing, he says, "I was going to go back that day. I was actually in the ambulance and wanted to go back, which was a little crazy, but it's pretty addictive."

Talking about his famously toned body, Gerard says, "Without a doubt it was 300 where I went a little crazy. I was training six hours a day when I made that movie. But in all seriousness, it really helped me get into the intensity of the character."

Asked if he stays toned between movies, he says, "It depends on what I have coming up next. I always try and stay in a relatively good kind of condition, but I am prone to letting it go." And, asked whether women have ever been disappointed that his body isn't always as toned as it appears in the movies, he says, "Too many times!"

Revealing there will be a sequel to 300, Gerard says, "They are in the process of making one now. I haven't read the script yet but it's a story that was happening while 300 was happening, it's just a bigger outlook on the whole thing."

On exiting Doctor Who, Karen Gillan says "I have known for ages that I am leaving and it's such a massive relief that it is out and I can speak freely about it. I'm back next year for a few episodes but it's not actually confirmed when I go." Asked if she knows how she will be written out, and whether Amy Pond could die, she says, "I don't know, it could be possible."

Talking about starring as Jean Shrimpton in the forthcoming BBC 4 drama, We'll Take Manhattan, Karen says, "She (Shrimpton) gave her consent to having it made but then didn't want anything to do with it because she is quite reclusive. But she saw it and she really liked it and left a voicemail saying she thought it was really accurate. That was the best compliment I could have got."

Asked whether playing Jean Shrimpton made her miss her own modelling days, Karen says, "It was an okay way to earn money because I had been working in a pub before that, but it's not something I ever aspired to do in life. Some of the things I had to do were weird - for one job I had to wear a bucket on my head."

Revealing she used fake tan to look more like Jean Shrimpton, Karen says, "I went into film the first day and I was the same colour as my hair. You couldn't tell where my hair ended and my skin started, so I had to exfoliate several times to get it off."

Asked if she ever goes wild, Karen says, "No, because I have to get up so early in the mornings so it's oatcakes for me in the evenings on my own." Questioned further, she says, "I really like them, sometimes with hummus but mostly just dry."

Concerned about the level of attention he might receive once The Hobbit is released, Martin Freeman says, "I have had 10 years to prepare since The Office but we were on holiday recently and I realised that maybe this time next year there won't be many places where I can go where The Hobbit won't have been seen. It's a funny thing and I have a troubled relationship with that sort of stuff."

On the critical success of Sherlock, Martin says "We are genuinely really very pleased with it. It's amazing and very flattering." And talking about the return of the series, he says, "We are aware of the pressure of having a standard to maintain but we have such a ball doing it, that it didn't really feel like pressure, but a really joyous way to spend a few months."

Agreeing that his life is now pretty much taken up with The Hobbit, Martin says "The hope is that we will make a third series (of Sherlock). There is certainly more to do and I would like to do it. It's a very nice way to spend your time."

Uggie, the canine celebrity and star of The Artist skateboards into the studio to show off his skills and, for the benefit of Gerard, demonstrates how not to surf.

Noel Gallagher joins the other guests for a chat before performing If I had a Gun, live in the studio.

On his album topping the charts Noel says "If there is a chart, you might as well be number one. It went to number one on the day City beat United 6-1 so it was an unbelievable day and one of the best days I have had in my entire life."