Graham Norton Hosts A Very Different Version Of His Chat Show As It Gets A Lockdown Makeover

“Is this The Graham Norton Show? Well, it’s as close as we can get it,” the host joked.
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The Graham Norton Show returned on Friday night – but not as viewers are used to seeing it.

The comedian has stripped-back his chat show amid the coronavirus pandemic, with celebrity guests appearing via video stream instead of on his big red sofa.

Graham kicked off a new series with a new set up that was made to replicate his regular studio.

The Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton Show
BBC

Opening Friday’s show, Graham joked: “Is this The Graham Norton Show? Well, it’s as close as we can get it.”

And despite the unusual circumstances, he still managed to attract his usual mix of A-list guests, Michael Bublé, Michael Sheen, Martin Freeman, and Daisy Haggard chatting from their homes via video call.

Brit Award winner Celeste also performed from her bedroom.

Graham was widely praised for carrying on with the show, which was promoted to a new 9pm slot on Friday.

Watching the Graham Norton show and it's making me laugh. Not least because it's not a 100 miles away from the Zoom and Facebook chats I've been having recently. The show is very different without a love audience and guests on a sofa! pic.twitter.com/Li6T1Hkb2N

— C.L. Taylor (@callytaylor) April 10, 2020

Well done #GrahamNorton. Graham worked really hard and my goodness #michaelsheen and Celeste stepped up. They put so much thought and energy into their contributions. Very grateful. I may even get dressed tomorrow...

— Fiona Endersby (@FionaEndersby) April 10, 2020

Have I got News for You was a bit stale without an audience but the entire Who Wants to be a Millionaire sequence on Graham Norton tonight was one of the funniest things I have seen on his show. Graham is loveable as hell, Judi Dench’s surprise appearance was great and...

— Joseph Bolton (@JosephB71101919) April 10, 2020

You just can’t help but like Graham Norton. A constant, unproblematic icon who seems genuinely nice #GrahamNorton pic.twitter.com/N3bl0ANcLK

— POP CULTURE ENTHUSIAST (@northernlawd) April 10, 2020

The fact that HIGNFY, Graham Norton, Gogglebox and The Mash Report are *all* continuing tonight in such tough and surreal circumstances, really does mean a lot.

— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) April 10, 2020

#grahamnorton Screw all the complainers, this was really good. Its not at all easy to adapt a format especially when it formally relies on live audience reaction but this actually works.

— Claudiastargirl (@claudiastargirl) April 10, 2020

During the episode, Michael Sheen – who plays Chris Tarrant in ITV’s upcoming dramatisation of the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? coughing scandal, Quiz – put Graham to the test in a mock version of the quiz show.

Graham had enlisted a rather famous pal for the Phone A Friend lifeline, in the shape of Dame Judi Dench.

The Graham Norton Show is just the latest series to adapt to changes caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Last week saw Have I Got News For You debut a new format, with all its panellists appearing from home.

The Graham Norton Show airs Fridays at 9pm on BBC One.

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