Beloved chat show host Graham Norton says he is “very excited” to bring his live Q and A style show to New Zealand for the very first time early next year.
Speaking to Breakfast this morning, Norton said he had never been to Aotearoa as he “never had anything to bring before”.
“I was doing a show here in the UK and it was supposed to be a book tour, but I kind of never really talked about the book and ended up just telling stories about my life and showing old clips of the chat show, telling stories about people’s favourite guests and kind of things that have happened and doing a bit of a Q and A with the audience.”
He said the show, An Evening With Graham Norton, was a chance for audiences to ask the Irish comedian, actor, author and television host “whatever they like”.
“And you know, if I’m able to answer it, I will.
“I don’t want to get myself in trouble, so I may not name some names,” he laughed.
He said this was not his usual chat show featuring Hollywood’s A-list celebrities, but instead it was an opportunity to hear about Norton’s life experiences, memorable moments from the chat show and highlights to date.
“I always feel a bit bad about that because you know, you walk on, and there’s lots of applause and you explain that it’s just you, but you can’t help but feel the [audience] may be slightly disappointed when Tom Cruise doesn’t rock up to tell a story… but no, it’s just me,” he said.
Asked about one of the staple segments on his chat show in which members of the public attempt to tell a story to completion without being flung backwards, Norton said there had been a “ridiculous” number of Kiwis to grace the lovingly-dubbed “big red chair”.
“Honestly, it must be like national service in New Zealand,” he laughed.
“I feel like everyone before they settle down and have a life in New Zealand, must travel the world and tell a story on the big red chair!”
Norton said live question and answer shows could be unpredictable, saying “some nights will go better than other nights”, but he simply could not wait to see the sights in “beautiful” New Zealand.
The show was coming to Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch on March 25, Wellington Opera House on March 29 and Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre in Auckland on April 1, 2025.
Tickets to the general public go on sale at 11am on October 11, and more information could be found here.
