The Graham Norton Show

Lewis Hamilton says he is a bad loser, Pedro Almodóvar reveals he taught Madonna a life lesson, and Alison Moyet talks about cleaning out her old life, while Dara O Briain puts Graham's analytical skills to the test.

Lewis Hamilton, talking about first competing in motor racing as an eight year old, says, "There's lots of footage of me sulking after races. I wasn't a very good loser. I'm still not a good loser if I'm honest." Asked if a racing driver is only as good as the car he drives, he says, "No, I'm better than my car."

On his move from McLaren to Mercedes, he says, "I wanted something different. I've been with McLaren since I was 13 and it was like leaving home. Calling Martin (Whitmarsh) was one of the toughest things I've had to do." Denying the move was prompted by money, he says, "Both offers were fantastic but this is refreshing - it's a new experience."

Asked why he'd pulled into the wrong pit stop in Malaysia, he says, laughing, "I came into the pits and looked down to make a switch change and then looked up again and just turned in and went straight to my old team - I was so used to it over all these years - old habits die hard. They were like, 'Get out of here.'"

Talking about the trappings of his success, and asked if he enjoys that side of motor racing, he says, "You don't get to enjoy much of it. When you're at the races it's just business. The race is my focus." And, on hanging out with the likes of P Diddy, he says, "That lot are obsessed with music. That's all we talk about. It's crazy."

Demonstrating the traditional way of celebrating a racing win, Lewis drenches Graham in champagne.

Pedro Almodóvar, talking about I'm So Excited, his first comedy in 25 years, says "I don't know why it has been so long. Black humour has always been present, black humour mixed with tragedy. As I have got older my movies have become darker and darker and I wanted to make a really new comedy. I have to say, you receive more awards for a dark movie than for a light comedy!"

Asked if he has been courted by Hollywood, he says, "They have asked me to go. In the early days they asked me to direct Sister Act but I said, 'No.' I have been tempted but not enough to go there. My ambition is to keep making the movies I want to make. American directors have a very tough time there with the studios, the censors and the agents. I realise my budgets are not as great but I have more independence and freedom."

Making it clear to Pedro he would like to appear on the big screen, Lewis says, "You could help me with my Spanish fans by putting me in one of your movies." Pedro responds, "You are very sexy and you look like a good actor too."

Talking about meeting Madonna in Spain with all her minders, Pedro says, "Madrid is a really safe place and the Spanish people were insulted that she thought it was so dangerous. So I told her, 'You will offend them' she didn't know that. So when I was in New York and she took me out to dinner I insisted we walk to the restaurant alone. She didn't wear any makeup and no one recognised her. There was not one single fan. I think it was a good lesson for her majesty!"

Talking about giving actresses lessons, he says he tries to direct Penelope Cruz, his muse, when not acting. Describing her as, "Incredibly beautiful, photogenic, and a very good actress with a great cleavage," he says, "I like her very much but sometimes I don't like the way she says something or the way she laughs and I try to correct her. She says, 'Pedro don't try and direct me in real life!"

Dara O Briain explains the premise of his new series, School of Hard Sums, by testing Graham, Lewis and Pedro on their analytical skills - with mixed results.

Talking about a particularly embarrassing encounter with a fan, Dara says, "I was in a bar in Dublin with a friend and a girl tapped me on the shoulder and asked, 'Is there any chance...' and I said, 'Of course, of course,' in a showbiz sort of way. I put my arm round her and held out the phone and took the shot and she left. I went back to my friend who was laughing as he explained she had just wanted me to take a photograph of her and her friends. There's nothing more painful than seeing a group of women holding up a camera and saying, 'Who is this?'"

Alison Moyet performs When I Was Your Girl live in the studio before joining Graham for a chat. Confirming she has thrown away all her old possessions, she says, "I have a new life. I've moved and I don't want to own anything - there were two skips and two house clearances. I got rid of everything - the gold discs, the stage clothes and the diaries. People think I have gone mad but it's all rubbish and I don't want it."