Graham Norton has sung the praises of Aussie actress Nicole Kidman for always ‘making an effort’ on his UK chat show.
And while the Irish funnyman, 61, has interviewed A-listers from all corners of the globe, he revealed to Woman’s Day that Australians are always high on his list of favourites.
‘They’re never too grand for it,’ Graham told the publication.
He also singled out Moulin Rouge star Nicole Kidman, 57, for special mention, saying that despite her huge fame, she always brings her A-game when appearing on Graham’s show.
‘Even someone like Nicole [Kidman] who has been famous for so long, will still make an effort,’ Graham said of the Aussie star, who has appeared on The Graham Norton Show seven times.
He added that Nicole’s lack of Hollywood ‘aloofness’ and diva-like behaviour had always impressed.
‘She won’t just sit there and go: ‘I’m Nicole Kidman, what more do you want?’ Because she could. But she tries, she’s still interested, she wants to hear the stories from the other guests.’
When pressed on bad guest experienced, Graham remained tight-lipped but he did reveal how to deal with a ‘boring’ celeb.
Graham Norton (pictured) has sung the praises of Aussie actress Nicole Kidman for ‘making an effort’ on his UK chat show
Graham singled out Moulin Rouge star Nicole Kidman, 57, for special mention, saying that despite her huge fame, she always brings her A-game when appearing on his show. Nicole is pictured on the Graham Norton Show in 2018
‘I’m in such a fortunate position because I’m never alone with them, I always have a couch,’ he said.
‘So, even if you have a boring guest, what’s good is while they’re being boring, it’s not just me and the audience thinking: ‘Jesus, shut up’, it’s other people on the couch too.
‘So, if they pause for breath, I’ll throw a little question to one of the more interesting people.’
‘She won’t just sit there and go: ‘I’m Nicole Kidman, what more do you want?’ Because she could. But she tries, she’s still interested, she wants to hear the stories from the other guests.’ Nicole is pictured with UK actors Julie Walters and Hugh Bonneville
Speaking with News Corp in October, Graham did reveal some of his most memorable chat show disasters and one celebrity who ‘wasn’t a great guest’ was American actress Darryl Hannah, who had a reputation for on-air nervousness.
‘So, she did our show, and bless her, she wasn’t a great guest,’ he told the publication.
‘But what I loved was, because she got through it, afterwards she was high as a kite. She really felt like she’d done an amazing thing.
‘I was thrilled for her that she had gotten through it. It was still a very poor show.’
‘She won’t just sit there and go: ‘I’m Nicole Kidman, what more do you want?’ Because she could. But she tries, she’s still interested, she wants to hear the stories from the other guests,’ he told Woman’s Day
Graham also admitted that a boozy appearance from actor Mickey Rourke was ‘hard work’ for the chat show host.
‘I just happened to be standing there when he got out of the car and he was holding a bottle of Jack Daniels, which is already worrying,’ he said.
‘But then we noticed the bottle of Jack Daniels was half-empty. It soon became very clear where that Jack Daniels had gone. Those nights are quite hard work where you’re just trying to keep it together and get to the finishing line.’
He also brought up a 2012 appearance from pop icon Madonna, who looked less than impressed when presented with two dolls of her likeness made by two diehard fans in the audience.
‘I saw them after the show and said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry she was a bit rude about the dolls.’ But they couldn’t have been happier. Their diva had behaved in exactly the way they wanted her to!’