The Graham Norton Show

Charlie Hunnam says he was happy to get his kit off for King Arthur, Guy Ritchie reveals his love of his own films, Billie Piper chats about her new play, Jason Manford says his kids provide a lot of his comedy and Imelda May sings live in the studio.

Charlie Hunnam, talking about his new film King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, which is directed by Guy Ritchie, and asked whether, as a serious actor, he minded the times when he just needed to look buff and hold a sword, he says, "It's all about balance of spectacle and substance and if there is balance I am happy to get my kit off!"

Asked about his buff physique in the film, he says, "I wasn't ripped at all when I auditioned - I'd been in Sons of Anarchy and lost a lot of weight and it was a bit of a stumbling block to me getting the role because Guy had wanted a formidable Arthur. He was very concerned about it and would bring it up a lot during the audition process. I had a eureka moment and the next time Guy brought it up, I said, 'Do you know what pal, if you are so concerned about my physicality put me in a cage with all the chimpanzees that are auditioning against me and we'll have a little fight and whoever walks out of the room gets the role.' I maintain that was the moment I got the part!"

Talking about his propensity for 'stealing' props from productions, he says of the motorbike he has from Sons of Anarchy, "I just drove off with it and now have it at home. I worked on the show for eight years and made them a lot of money so I thought I deserved it! I also tried to steal one of the swords from Arthur - but I was rumbled mid-theft and the guy that looked after them said I would probably get one presented to me at the wrap party. The wrap party came and went and no sword arrived. I was disappointed."

With great fanfare, and to Charlie's great surprise, Guy presents him with a real, custom-made sword. Amid hugs and thanks an emotional Charlie says, "I'm really glad I came tonight!" Guy adds, "It's proper and costs the same as a small aeroplane!"

Guy, talking about attending the premieres of his own films, says, "They're not designed for fun. You are never off the clock." Asked if he sits through the entire movie, he says, "I can watch my films. I like them and I have this funny thing that I completely forget I make them. It starts and I'm like, 'Oh, what happens next' or 'Look behind you!' I'm surprised at the number of times I can watch them."

Asked about the new film, Guy says, "I tinkered around with it for eight years and finally it turned into something. It's like nothing you have ever seen. I didn't want to see a traditional Arthur, but we captured the essence of the story and we were respectful of that but thereafter we didn't pay any attention to any rules. Hopefully we have created something really fresh."

Chatting about David Beckham being in the film, Guy says, "We are sort of mates - our children go to the same school, we drink in the same pub and we go to the same gym and one thing led to another. I love him, he's on the same frequency as me and it made sense for him to be in the film."

Billie Piper, talking about her new play Yerma, says "There is no interaction with the audience, just the other actors. It feels great." Talking about the structure of the play, she says, "In the blackouts between acts we stay on the stage and guys with night vision goggles change our clothes and give us props - the first time it happened it felt very threatening and I wanted to punch them."

Asked about winning the best actress award in the recent Olivier awards where she was up against Glenda Jackson, she says, "When I won I turned round to Glenda and said 'Yes!' with my fist in the air. It only came back to me a few weeks later. I don't know what I was doing and it was really unnecessary. I didn't speak to her after, I just left. It was bad!"

Jason Manford, talking about his children and how they influence his comedy he says, "The other day I was at a café and in front of lots of other parents and their children my daughter said, 'What's an STD?' I stumbled over my words trying to find the right explanation when I asked why she wanted to know. She said, 'There is a sign over there that says 'Coffee, large or STD.' It's always wise to ask why they want to know things before you start to explain!"

Asked about the title of his upcoming tour, Muddle Class, Jason says, "I am working class but my kids are middle class. It's about keeping our roots while being aspirational - a lot of people are like this. They drink champagne from the mug they won at bingo, or eat pork pie with quinoa on the side and my brother told me that the last time he signed on the dole he used his fountain pen! It's hard with kids because you want to give them everything you didn't have a child but you don't want them becoming the kids you used to hate when you were young."

Imelda May performs Should Have Been You live in the studio before joining Graham for a chat. Revealing she didn't have the most normal of childhoods, she says, "I could write a book. My parents used to take all seven of us camping all over the world. We'd all sleep in a big orange tent. In Paris we woke up to a huge commotion. It was crazy with my mum there cooking breakfast and my dad getting dragged out by the gendarmes... Apparently you are not allowed to camp underneath the Eiffel Tower!"

Asked what happened to her extensive rockabilly wardrobe, she says, "When I turn up to family events it's all there. My sisters and my cousins wear it all."

And finally, Graham as pulls the lever on more foolhardy audience members brave enough to sit in the Big Red Chair there is a surprise in store for Charlie.