Iconic TV presenter Graham Norton has admitted that his career trajectory which saw him present The Graham Norton Show, Wheel Of Fortune and the Eurovision Song Contest ‘surprised’ him.
The Irish star started his career as a stand-up comic before switching to TV and radio in his late 20s.
He has recently added another presenting gig to his portfolio, hosting Last One Laughing Ireland on Amazon Prime Video – shortly after his Wheel Of Fortune debut on ITV.
Speak with RTE in light of his new role, he said: ‘To be honest, I thought I would cool down by now, that I would do less.
‘I surprised myself at a time when I thought I would close off rooms in the house and sit in the kitchen.’
Graham Norton has admitted he is ‘surprised’ by the progress of his career after starting out as a stand-up comedian
As well as his iconic self-titled show, Norton has recently taken on the role of host of the revamped Wheel Of Fortune on ITV
In 1992, the then 29-year-old comic (pictured in 1990) got his big break on television after a drag act as Mother Teresa at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival made headlines.
Despite turning 60 last April, the world-famous television host is doing more than ever.
“Maybe I’m less careful in a way because I think, ‘f**k it, let’s do it,’” he suggested.
While discussing his past life as a comedian, Norton admitted that he struggled with the high-pressure environment as a leading man on stage.
“At first I was dying all the time,” he said.
‘The nice thing about stand-up is that sometimes it doesn’t matter how good or bad your material is – and mine was never that good – there can be a strange alchemy in the room where the audience just decides, ‘No. no. This is funny and we’re not going to laugh.”
“When that happened to me, I thought, ‘You’re right, I don’t know why anyone ever laughed at this!’ You are the wisest and most critical audience I have ever encountered.’
In 1992, the then 29-year-old comedian got his big break on television after a drag act as Mother Teresa at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival made headlines.
The story gained traction after Scottish television’s religious affairs department contacted Norton, believing he represented the real Mother Teresa.
He soon joined the BBC Radio 4 show Loose Ends as a regular comedian and panelist before leaving will appear in a number of TV shows including Father Ted, Bring Me The Head Of Light Entertainment and Carnal Knowledge.
In 1998 he got his first shot at his own chat show – So Graham Norton – on Channel 4, which ran for five series until 2002.
He told RTE: ‘The thing about stand-up is that sometimes it doesn’t matter how good or bad your material is – and mine was never that good – there can be a strange alchemy in the room where the audience will just decide, “No, none of this is funny and we’re not going to laugh”‘
The first season of The Graham Norton Show was in 2007 and 27 years later it is in its 31st edition
Shortly after the relaunch of Wheel Of Fortune, Norton begins a new presenting gig in Last One Laughing Ireland on Amazon Prime Video
From then on, his TV appearances continued to increase V Graham Norton on Channel 4, The Graham Norton Effect on Comedy Central and Graham Norton’s Bigger Picture on the BBC appear in the years before the show we all know and love now made its debut.
The Graham Norton Show first aired in 2007 and is now in its 31st series 27 years later.
He has also become infamous for his cynical but humorous commentary on the BBC’s coverage of the Eurovision final, taking over from Terry Wogan in 2009.
The seemingly impossible became a reality last year when he co-hosted the event on British soil, after Sam Ryder’s song last year put Britain in second place behind Ukraine, which was unable to host the 2023 edition due to the Russian invasion to organize.