Top 30 Awkward Interviews on Graham Norton

#30: Saoirse Ronan

If there’s one thing Graham loves to do, it’s embarrass his guests by digging up the most obscure childhood titbits he possibly can. Saoirse Ronan was no exception, but at least she was prepared for these clips. Or rather, she thought she was, but then when the old phone recording of her began, you could see her soul leave her body. Timothee Chalamet was amazed to hear that this was apparently how Ronan got her big break, and she’s now become one of Hollywood’s most in-demand actors. To think, it all started with the Gingerbread Man and a holiday to Florida.

#29: Olivia Colman

This was certainly more awkward for the filmmakers desperately wanting Colman to sell tickets to go see “Cuban Fury” back in 2014 than for anybody watching. When asked about the film, which in her defence, she said she’d filmed a while ago, she couldn’t remember a thing. She didn’t know the name of her character, she barely knew the plot, and also struggled to remember Frost’s character’s name even though he was the lead and she was playing his sister. Idris Elba and Lena Dunham were there to encourage her, and then she complained about having to dance in a film all about dancing. You have to love her, though.

#28: Jennifer Saunders & Joanna Lumley

They were doing press for “Ab Fab: The Movie” and recounted for Graham the early days of the show, and specifically, Lumley’s audition for Patsy. Though they’ve now been friends for decades, they hadn’t actually met before Lumley auditioned. On the show, they tell this awkward story and say that Lumley was convinced that Saunders hated her; Lumley didn’t want to say yes to the pilot. Later, Saunders recounts a story about meeting Bananarama at the height of their fame, and Lumley briefly thinks she’s forgotten it – until being told that she wasn’t there. Perhaps the most awkward thing, though, is that when the film came out it wasn’t particularly good.

#27: Waxworks

Sometimes, the uncomfortable pictures Graham reveals aren’t even of the celebrities, but of their waxworks, as was the case when he brought up Kylie’s many wax representations in 2014. Kylie and Cameron Diaz reacted to the unfortunate waxworks, which they’d both already seen, with grace, but not so for Russell Crowe. He’s a devout waxworks HATER, having his representatives chase down and remove any waxworks they find that resemble him. But then Graham presents a letter he wrote to one wax museum owner refusing to allow them to make his likeness, with the letter being put on display instead. This is all more awkward for whoever makes these waxworks, though; were they watching at home?

#26: Nicole Kidman

Yet more follies of youth, in this interview, Graham had to reveal to Nicole Kidman that Dolly Magazine, which gave her her first modelling job Down Under, had closed up shop. Of course, he had a whole photo shoot at the ready to embarrass her with. She was utterly mortified, wanting nothing more than for it to be over while interrupting to give younger viewers sage advice about not over-straightening their hair. Dev Patel and Dawn French were there to react to the final and most absurd picture. Unlike Saoirse Ronan, she was woefully underprepared to have to see these photographs again.

#25: David Cassidy

American actor David Cassidy was never really able to get out from under the shadow of “The Partridge Family”, the sitcom that launched his career in the 70s. He passed away in 2017 after dealing with alcoholism for much of his life, but years prior, he was interviewed by Graham. Years on and Norton admitted that Cassidy wasn’t a guest he enjoyed talking to, despite Cassidy being a childhood hero of his. He said that Cassidy was bitter and still resentful of still being best-known as Keith Partridge, with his solo music career – which he was on “Graham Norton” to promote – never reaching the lofty heights he desired.

#24: Daniel Radcliffe

In this interview, Graham forced Daniel Radcliffe to relive some excruciatingly awkward fan encounters for the viewing public. He talked about how he doesn’t want anybody to have a horrible experience meeting Harry Potter, so often goes above and beyond to be nice even to people who don’t deserve it. Then James McAvoy jumped in to talk about another unpleasant fan encounter, with a woman desperate for an autograph who inadvertently said something rude; he then discussed another fan who propositioned him. Daniel ended by saying people regularly ask him to sign things after clarifying ahead of time that they don’t even like “Harry Potter”.

#23: Nadiya Hussain

She skyrocketed to fame when she won the 2015 edition of “Bake Off”, becoming a beloved TV personality and celebrity chef. A year on from this victory and she was making one of many appearances on “Graham Norton”, talking about her newfound fame and how it can be a struggle when she gets recognised in an unfortunate place. In this toe-curling anecdote, she discussed going in for an intimate examination and then being asked about Paul Hollywood by the attending nurse. But even the studio audience held their breath when Sandi Toksvig on the end came out with this one-liner.

#22: Harvey Weinstein

Graham’s gone on the record saying that this was his least favourite interview ever when, in 2015, he interviewed one of Hollywood’s most powerful producers, Harvey Weinstein. Just two years later and Weinstein’s career would be destroyed following over a hundred criminal allegations, but he’d long been a known quantity throughout the entertainment world. Graham said that Weinstein demanded to appear on a particular edition despite it all being booked up, and eventually getting his way. He appeared alongside David Tennant, Olivia Colman, and Jessie J, with Jessie and Colman conspicuously leaning as far away from him as possible.

#21: Diddy

It’s a miracle that none of these clips have been removed from the internet yet, but the BBC is leaving them up for the moment. In 2024, Diddy – real name Sean Combs – was arrested and charged with sex trafficking, among things. He was found guilty on some charges but not others. There’s something very uncomfortable about watching this interview from 2011 where he talks about how he wants to meet the Queen. They all fawn over him, including Graham and Sarah Millican, talking about how Diddy donated a night out with himself to winners of a celebrity auction – only for the bidders not to be allowed to go by their wives.

#20: Carrie Fisher’s Fan

Carrie Fisher joins her “Star Wars” co-stars, John Boyega and Daisy Ridley to promote “The Force Awakens” and compare her stints in the franchise. She recalls how unbeknownst to her at the time, Princess Leia had turned her into something of a “sex symbol”. Understandably uncomfortable with being objectified in this way, even today, she recalls an encounter with a fan who let’s just say spent an awfully long time “thinking” about her on a daily basis. Carrie’s discomfort radiates through our television sets and we can’t help but cringe with her in solidarity, alongside the rest of the sofa.

#19: Greg Davies Learns Not To Drink and Teach

Greg Davies’ sitcom, “Man Down” is loosely based on his teacher days. Yet, Graham’s researchers manage to find a hilarious story taken from Greg’s real life, much to his embarrassment. As Graham prompts the comedian to tell the story, you can already feel his mortification. The story includes having a curry, being hungover, his mother’s underwear and forgetting he’s wearing a microphone at the worst possible moment. The reaction from the other guests makes this moment one we can watch over and over. We all have embarrassing stories but at least we don’t have to share them on national television.

#18: What Got Eddie Redmayne’s Motor Purring

Another story which put the guest in the hot seat involves Eddie Redmayne revealing which animated movie character brought on his sexual awakening. As Graham brings up the subject we can almost feel the heat radiate from the actor as we wait with bated breath to see where the conversation is going. Redmayne admits that his first crush was Nala from “The Lion King” although Maid Marian from “Robin Hood” holds a special place in his heart too. Fortunately, fellow guest, Anna Kendrick comes to his defence, admitting her feelings for the foxy animation too. Look, whatever floats your boat...

#17: John Cleese Makes Catty Remarks To Taylor Swift

John Cleese has garnered a bit of a reputation for putting his foot in his mouth and unfortunately this occasion was no different. While sharing the sofa with Taylor Swift, he makes an insensitive comment about the singer’s new pet. However, Graham is quick to rebuke this by sharing a photo of the actor’s own cat. Still failing to read the room, Cleese makes a rather misogynistic joke comparing cats and women. Taylor gracefully shuts down his misguided attempt at a joke although the awkwardness continues to linger. We guess he missed the memo that sexism isn’t really all that funny.

#16: Elizabeth Who?

When your show is as long running as this one, it seems likely you will eventually mess up someone’s name. In an interview, Graham disclosed that his most embarrassing moment on the show was during an interview with the “Downton Abbey” actress, Elizabeth McGovern. He kept mistakenly calling her Elizabeth Montgomery who is actually the actress who played Samantha in the 1960s series, “Bewitched”. He says she never corrected him although you’d think someone from his staff might have intervened too. We bet he wishes he could twitch his nose to go back in time to fix this embarrassing error.

#15: Tensions Between Jamie Lee Curtis and Jeff Goldblum

It’s kind of hard to pinpoint what happened here but Jamie Lee Curtis and Jeff Goldblum just seemed to rub each other up the wrong way and their animosity did not go unnoticed. The show provides a unique format where the guests share the spotlight so if two celebrities aren’t vibing it sticks out like a sore thumb. They keep appearing to throw jabs at each other, creating quite an uncomfortable viewing experience. We have yet to get to the core of their frostiness but whatever its cause, they probably should have saved it for after the cameras were turned off.

#14: Jim Carrey Jokes About Hollywood Standards

Jim Carrey caused a stir with remarks about Margot Robbie which were branded “rude” and “creepy”. His joke that Margot’s attractiveness was behind her great success in the industry, was not received well by many viewers. While Margot chose to laugh it off, others were unimpressed by the sexist comment and pointed out he would never say that about a man. Of course, some came to the actor’s defence as Carrey has famously called out Hollywood in the past but many were left feeling uncomfortable. Thankfully, Lewis Capaldi was there to break the tension with an endearingly awkward story of his own.

#13: Madonna and Sir Ian McKellen’s Frosty Exchange

Madonna’s dry sense of humour divided the viewers with many left unimpressed by her attitude which came across as dismissive and aloof. Sitting on the sofa beside national treasure, Sir Ian McKellen, some believed she was not happy about sharing the spotlight and many of her attempts at humour fell flat. Not only does her body language come across as frosty as she distances herself from the actor, but also some misunderstandings between the pair make for some rather awkward viewing. Nevertheless, many fans took to the internet to stand up for the actor and call out the singer’s “rude” behaviour.

#12: Jennifer Lawrence Disrespects Hawaiian Culture

Disrespecting any culture is never acceptable so it is hard to understand why this story garnered such a laugh. Graham urges Jennifer Lawrence to share a story from her time filming “Catching Fire” from the “Hunger Games” franchise while in Hawaii. She recalls scratching her backside on some sacred rocks, causing them to dislodge and roll down a hill. She tells it in such a flippant and offhand way that it is as if she doesn’t realise how disrespectful and offensive her actions were. So, it came as no surprise when viewers voiced their unhappiness, demanding she apologise for her actions.

#11: Sir Lenny Henry Yells At The Audience

Graham saw a record number of guests join him during his “Comic Relief” special show. The idea was that throughout the evening more guests would join the line-up but it seems that not everyone got the memo. At one point Sir Lenny Henry gets up from the sofa to confront a noisy group off camera. Graham waits until he has finished before pointing out that the group are celebrities who maybe have had a bit much to drink while waiting for their call. We’ve all been there with frustratingly noisy audience members but we could practically feel the second hand embarrassment.

#10: Johnny Depp

In the midst of a new wave of abuse allegations against Hollywood figures, some viewers were unimpressed to learn that Johnny Depp would appear on the show. In 2016, his ex-wife Amber Heard had accused Depp of verbal and physical abuse. Unhappy Norton fans took to Twitter to voice their displeasure, and pointed out the irony of making jokes about the sexual assault allegations against Kevin Spacey only moments before introducing Depp. Things continued to go downhill when audiences at home started questioning his sobriety, and no amount of anecdotes could win them back. This is one sinking ship that not even Captain Jack could save.

#9: Richard Gere & Taylor Swift

So the most awkward part of this interaction happened offscreen, but watching Taylor Swift relive her past humiliation is still bound to make your toes curl. When Graham brings up the fact that Taylor and Richard Gere met at the Golden Globes, Gere reveals that Taylor didn’t know who he was and asks what him what he was doing at the award show. She is clearly still mortified but adds to the story, telling Norton how she put her other foot in her mouth when she met Gere’s now ex-wife Carey Lowell that same evening.

#8: Cara Delevingne

Graham wanted to draw a rather saucy anecdote out of the model, but the long and winding road to get there made for uncomfortable viewing. When he brings up her sex life, she immediately tenses up, which is a clear sign that she does not want to discuss it. If viewers weren’t already hoping Graham would take a hint and move on, they certainly were when she announced that her dad was in the audience. It’s painful to watch Graham force the subject and had us wishing he would just drop it and talk about anything else.

#7: Alan Sugar & Pamela Stephenson

Lord Sugar isn’t one for mincing words, so when he appeared on the show beside Australian psychologist Pamela Stephenson, it didn’t take long for him to share his thoughts on psychology. Pamela took a moment to collect herself before firing back, and then it was up to Graham and Lee Mack to diffuse the tension. Things took a turn for the weird when the Strictly finalist decided to teach Graham a move she called ‘the noo noo’ - which judging by the look on Graham’s face, was similar to what he was screaming on the inside.

#6: Whoopi Goldberg

What makes this interview so awkward is less the subject matter and more the general discomfort of the guests. Sure, talking about one’s balding pubic region, or the ‘balding pudenda’, isn’t necessarily your average chat show topic of choice, but it’s the clunkiness of the conversation that makes it painful to watch. Whoopi paints quite the image for the audience, while Keanu Reeves and Jamie Dornan seem on edge, probably wondering how this came up and how they should respond. Should they nod? Laugh? Talk about their own pubic hair? It’s a moment tailor-made for nervous laughter.

#5: Mickey Rourke

There was nothing that we didn’t find uncomfortable about this one, whether it was Rourke’s bizarre entrance or his suggestive language to both Graham and other guest Jessica Biel. In fact, watching him around her makes our skin crawl and it’s clear that she’s uncomfortable too. This is one guest who wasn’t going to get an invite back anytime soon. His entire manner was inappropriate, and even Graham seemed concerned when he turned his back for a second only for Rourke to get uncomfortably close to his other guest.

#4: Noel Gallagher

This time it’s Graham who put his foot in it, as he accidentally mistakes Noel Gallagher for his brother Liam. Graham seems to believe that Noel and Jack Black have worked together in the past, but is corrected swiftly by Black, who seems all too aware of the Gallagher feud. Luckily Noel is a good sport about the blunder, but uses the opportunity to throw jibes at his brother. The audience’s nervous laughter can be heard in the background, but fortunately Noel sets everyone back at ease by having the last laugh.

#3: Sinead O’Connor

It would be fair to say that Sinead O’Connor has built quite the reputation, and after years of making headlines - not always for her music - it’s understandable that she’d be nervous about coming onto a chat show. But this still wasn’t what audiences were expecting. As far as first impressions go, “Nothing Compares” to her introductory line to Daniel Radcliffe, even if she did have an innocent reason to be giving him imaginary baths. It only got more uncomfortable from there, thanks to the reveal that Graham didn’t actually have the album she was promoting, and her rambling response when Graham asked her how she was.

#2: Miriam Margolyes

She might be the celebrity equivalent of Marmite, but hey, when she’s on the sofa, at least the show is never dull! Miriam Margoyles’ awkward moments on “The Graham Norton Show” are many. There’s never knowing what she might say or whether it’s going to make you chuckle or cringe. It certainly makes for good television; she’s blunt, honest and doesn’t much care for what anyone else thinks. But there are some things you just can’t unhear. Case in point: her story about meeting Laurence Olivier, which was a liiiittle TOO much information.

#1: Mark Wahlberg

Like many of Graham’s guests, it seems that Mark Wahlberg enjoyed the free booze backstage… but perhaps went a tad overboard. In this infamous interview, he’s like an attention-seeking child constantly interrupting the other guests and stealing focus. Sarah Silverman deserves an award just for putting up with him as he barely lets her get through her stories. At one point he even climbs into the bewildered host’s lap. Wahlberg has since said that it was all a preplanned ‘bit’ with Silverman, but we’re just going to let you be the judge.

Let us know which uncomfortable moments we forgot to add!