Graham Norton

When my parents were in town last year we secured tickets to watch Graham Norton record his popular BBC television chat show. The studio typically invites more people than required to cover for inevitable drop-outs which means late arrivals can miss out. This proved to be our experience last July and we were sent away disappointed.

I must confess that I'd never heard of Graham Norton until we arrived in London. However, we quickly became fans. He's an incredibly funny Irish comedian, who entertains in an excitable, flamboyant manner. He's forever mocking the royal family and peppers his dialogue with some of the funniest, smuttiest humour I've ever heard. It's rumoured he earns in excess of £5-6 million pounds annually as an television entertainer.

Graham is currently taping a new season of his show. Garry and I duly applied for tickets a second time. Tonight we were in luck. After a nail-biting thirty minute wait were ushered into the studio and found ourselves seated directly above Graham's chair. We couldn't have asked for a better view. His guests were Minnie Driver and British comedian, Jimmy Carr.

Minnie is currently starring in a television show we've been following called The Riches. She's also remembered for her starring role opposite Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting. Minnie was both six-months pregnant and hilarious in her own right. Garry and I laughed continually for more than an hour while she and Graham discussed celebrity greetings, baby names and excepts from a children's book about Willie the Sperm. The year-long wait was well worthwhile.