The Graham Norton Show

Judi Dench's 'Graham Norton' appearance draws 4.1m

The Graham Norton Show drew 4.1m (26.9%) viewers on Friday as Judi Dench and Dev Patel dropped by to promote their new film, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

National treasure Dame Judi Dench may bring an unfamiliar air of gravitas to Norton's saucy sofa as she snuggles in alongside Slumdog Millionaire Dev Patel, one of her co-stars in new big-screen comedy drama The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Music comes from Will Young, whose continuing success is an itch Simon Cowell just can't scratch.

Daniel Radcliffe joins Graham Norton tonight to discuss life after Harry Potter, and specifically his lead role in the horror film The Woman in Black, which went on general release today. There's also some light relief in the form of Anglo-Iranian comic Omid Djalili, and music from electro songsmiths Goldfrapp.

Graham Norton exudes charm as he gently mocks the celebrities that rotate around the chat show circuit, publicising their latest project. This week actress Reese Witherspoon is Norton's guest, ahead of the release of her action comedy, This Means War, on Valentine's Day. Joining her on the sofa is Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen, who plays Sigmund Freud in A Dangerous Method.

Graham Norton's sofa is blessed with acting heavyweights tonight. The titillating talk-show host is joined by Liam Neeson (whose new movie The Grey, about a plane crash, comes out at the end of this month) and Trekkie-turned-Shakespearean Patrick Stewart, who will be appearing in Bingo at the Young Vic. Light relief comes from curly-haired comedian Alan Davies, who has been touring Australia with his new stand-up show, with music provided by soppy balladeer Ed Sheeran.

Kenneth Branagh turns up to talk about his latest role as Laurence Olivier in the film My Week with Marilyn - an intriguing prospect, considering how, early in his career, Branagh was often referred to as a "young Olivier". Zach Braff (from the now defunct, underestimated US comedy series Scrubs) has a play, All New People, opening in London's West End next month. And Frank Skinner, now master of ceremonies in the revamped Room 101, is on the comedy end of the Norton sofa.

Madonna's much-trumpeted appearance last week may prove a hard act to follow, but tonight's line-up looks more down to earth at least. Frank Skinner makes his second appearance on our screens this evening, after his debut turn as host of Room 101, and Kenneth Branagh turns up after pulling out of a guest spot last month. Scrubs star Zach Braff, who's about to take his first bow on the West End stage in a play he's written, completes the line-up.

Madonna gives Graham Norton an extra million viewers

Graham Norton's dream guest, Madonna, helped pull him in an extra million viewers for his BBC1 chat show.

Madonna talks marriage, movies and motherhood and reveals what she really thinks of Lady Gaga in the interview Graham Norton has been waiting all his career to get.

When it was first announced that Madge would be gracing his show with her presence, he exclaimed: "I may have to retire!" In the interview, which was prerecorded on Wednesday, Madonna also reveals the brilliant title of her next album.

But the real reason she's on the show is to plug her new movie, W.E. - her uniquely personal take on the Wallis Simpson story.

That Madonna thought it necessary to join the film's stars Andrea Riseborough and James D'Arcy on Graham's sofa should give you a rough idea of what a thorough pasting this movie has got from the critics, but that's by the by.

Madonna isn't the most chatty of celebrities and doesn't grant her favours lightly, so Norton has secured quite a coup tonight. Of course, the infamous pop chameleon isn't doing him a favour - she's in the studio to talk about her new film about Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, W.E. - which should be interesting as it was given a right pasting by some critics after its unveiling at the Venice Film Festival last September.