The Graham Norton Show

Elton John says his focus is now very much on his children, Carey Mulligan reveals how she asked Eminem for advice, Stephen Fry says Paul McCartney once gave him a lesson in singing, Pink says her children are hard critics of her work, and Robbie Williams talks about sex, drugs and rock and roll.

Elton John, talking about his new album and why he called it Diamonds, says "Greatest Hits sounded so boring." And asked about the longevity of his 50-year career, he says, "I don't reflect on things, but I sometimes wonder how I crammed it all in. I've had so much fun and loved doing what I've done. And I've been lucky enough to do what I have always done. The key to longevity is if you can perform live. It doesn't matter how many hits you've had, you'll always be successful if you can."

Asked if he still has fun, he says, "Life is all about having fun. But my fun is focused now on my children - it's all about them. I still have my career but I am so excited to be going to my youngest son's Nativity. That's what my life is about now. To have the focus on them at this stage of my life is kind of nice."

Talking about the boys' taste in music, he says, "They prefer AC/DC! Because it's the theme to Iron Man we have to have it on in the car all the time."

Revealing that he and Bernie Taupin have never had so much as a cross word, Elton says, 'We have never argued. We never work in the same room and we've kept the process fresh by doing that. I'm so proud that we are stronger now than we ever have been."

Carey, talking about her new film Mudbound and the unpleasant filming conditions, say, "We filmed in Louisiana and it was so hot, full of mosquitos and so muddy. We even had to have a snake wrangler whose only job was to go around catching them so they didn't kill us!"

Asked what it was like working with Mary J Blige in the film, she says, "It was quite hard initially to get over the fact that she is such a great singer. For the first few days I just had her songs going on in my head. Then she became the character and a completely different person."

Revealing she was a huge fan of Eminem, she says, "When I was 17 and applying to drama school I watched 8 Mile and his Lose Yourself song really spoke to me so I wrote him a really long letter telling him in detail how I had gone in and crushed it in my audition. He never wrote back!"

Stephen Fry, asked if he is musical, says, "I've never been able to sing. It's official because I once sat next to Paul McCartney at a funeral and after a couple of the hymns, which I was miming to because my voice is so terrible, he said to me, 'You're not singing, just sing - everyone can sing,' so I did and he turned to me and said, 'Shut up, you're right, you really can't sing!' If Paul McCartney tells you, it's official!"

Asked about his new book Mythos, he says, "Many of the stories resonate today in what is happening in the world. I hope people find it witty."

Pink, talking about what she has been doing during the five years since her last album, says, "I didn't realise it had been so long. I was doing bake sales and kindergarten!" And, on creating the new work, she says, "When I came back, the record company sat me down and told me that once you are over 35 and a female pop star radio probably won't play you. I'm so glad I proved them wrong. It's nice."

Asked if her children like her music, she says, "My son used to cry when I sang and now he's a little older he just looks away and my daughter prefers Sia!"

Robbie Williams joins Graham for a chat.

Talking about his new book Reveal, he says, "Hopefully it's interesting and funny." Asked if he sought former Spice Girl Geri Horner's permission to include a story about him bundling her out of his flat and into the boot of her car in a duffle bag when they were dating, he says, "No, not at all. But I think she comes out of the story well."

Asked more about his early stardom, he says, "I really was into the sex, drugs and rock and roll, that's why I wanted to get into the business. But I am 43 now and realise what an idiot I was."

Pink performs What About Us live in the studio.

And finally, as Graham pulls the lever on more foolhardy audience members brave enough to sit in the Big Red Chair, Robbie spots a familiar face.