Graham William Walker aka Graham Norton, is a celebrated Irish comedian, actor, television host, and author of best-selling books. Norton is popular for his talk show on BBC 1 known as “The Graham Norton Show” and the winner of the BAFTA TV Award for his comedy show. He has received the British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance. Walker’s punch lines are his identity. Graham was chosen as the most influential person in British entertainment in 2004. His show hosted hundreds of celebrities and top-rated figures from various fields. Graham Norton remained the talk of the town for his sexual orientation, as he identified himself as gay. He is also vocal about the rights of marginalized sections of the society.
BIOGRAPHY
Graham William Walker was born on 4 April 1963, in Clondalkin, County Dublin, Ireland. He is a Protestant Christian which is a Christian minority in Ireland. Graham admitted that being Protestant made him feel isolated when he was young and lived in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland. Norton presented his first TV chat show “The Jack Docherty Show” in 1997. Graham did such an incredible job at hosting a conventional talk show that he was given his weekly program, So Graham Norton (1998-2002). Norton interviews a celebrity, often chosen for their ironic or over-rated reputation while mixing mocking elements and the involvement from the studio audience. Norton’s comedic energy was such that he won three consecutive BAFTAs for the programs.
SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
Graham Norton uses social media accounts for the better cause and to interact with the online community. He updates the audience with his upcoming interviews, his books, and his lifestyle. William once deactivated his Twitter account in October 2022 due to criticism of his LGBTQ views.
| 668k Followers | |
| 1.4M Followers | |
| 8.8M Followers | |
| TikTok | 2.9M Followers |
| YouTube | 5.1M Subscribers |
WIKI
The Comedy King is an English man with Irish roots. He once told a host during an interview that his ancestors belonged to Yorkshire who migrated to Ireland in the 17th century. His childhood was spent around the county of Dublin. He has blonde hair, a beard, and a mustache. His vibrant blue eyes and smile are prominent features of his face. His height is 5’8” feet.
| Real Name | Graham William Walker |
| Stage Name | Graham Norton |
| Nickname | N/A |
| Birthday | April 4, 1963 |
| Age | 60 years old |
| Birthplace | Clondalkin, County Dublin, Ireland |
| Present Residence | Wapping area of London |
| Gender | Male |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Nationality | Irish, British |
| Mother Tongue | Irish, English |
| Ethnicity | Irish |
| Religion | Protestant Christian |
| School | Bandon Grammar School |
| College/University | University College Cork Royal Central School of Speech and Drama |
| Qualification | English & French Language |
| Occupation | Comedian Television Host Author Actor |
| Net Worth | USD 40 million approximately |
| Relationship Status | Married |
| Children | N/A |
| Height | 5′ 8” |
| Weight | 70kg |
| Eye Color | Blue with a hint of Green |
| Hair Color | Light Blonde Gray (Due to ageing) |
| Body Shape | Slim |
| Pets | Dogs |
| Hobbies | Book Reading |
ZODIAC SIGN
Norton’s sun sign is Aries. Aries is a fire sign popular for their hot-headed, highly independent, creative, and sensitive nature. They are selfless, devoted, and passionate. Aries are also very dedicated to the important things in life and often gain popularity among people. Tina Kunakey, Anne-Marie, Adam Zampa, and Lady Gaga are also Aries.
PARENTS AND SIBLINGS
William Walker’s parents were from Ireland. His father Billy was a sales representative for Guinness, and his mother was Rhoda Walker. Graham has an elder sister, Paula. He used his stage name “Norton” from his Grandmother’s maiden name. His family was Protestant Christians from (The Church of Ireland). Billy Walker died in 2000. Norton’s father was from County Wicklow, while his mother is a native of Belfast. He told in one of his interviews that his ancestors were from Yorkshire and moved to Ireland in 1713.
| Father | Billy Walker |
| Mother | Rhoda Walker |
| Sister | Paula Giles |
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Norton went to the Bandon Grammar School, in West Cork to get his early education. Later he attended the University College, Cork, to study English and French Language. After two years, Norton decided to drop out due to some personal reasons. Surprisingly, he received an honorary doctorate from the same institution three decades later. He moved to San Francisco after he decided to become an actor and received training at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. He worked as a waiter during his days in college.
RELATIONSHIPS AND MARRIAGE
Norton identifies himself as gay. Initially, he dated Kristian Seeber, who performs as the drag queen Tina Burner in an American show. Later Graham dated Trevor Patterson in 2013 but eventually split up after two years. In 2015, he reportedly dated Andrew Smith but sadly the relationship didn’t last. On 10 July 2022, Norton finally found his other half and held a wedding ceremony at Bantry House in County Cork with his husband, Jonathan McLeod, a Scottish filmmaker.
CAREER
Graham Norton began his career doing stand-up comedy, he made his debut TV appearance in the panel show Just A Minute in 1994. The first TV chat show he presented was The Jack Docherty Show on Channel 5 in 1997. Walker mesmerized the audience and TV industry with his performance and he was offered a weekly program, So Graham Norton on Channel 4 which ran from 1998-2002. The formula was comparatively simple. Norton’s won three consecutive BAFTAs for the show.
Later Graham did the nightly late-night show V Graham Norton on Channel 4, in 2002. He then signed a contract with BBC. In addition to numerous guest spots on such TV programs as The Daily Show With Jon Stewart (US, 2003-4) and Friday Night With Jonathan Ross (BBC, 2004), he has increasingly moved towards acting, appearing in such sitcoms as Absolutely Fabulous (BBC, 2002) and the romantic comedy I Could Never Be Your Woman in 2006. He also appeared in homosexual movies in his early career. His program “The Graham Norton Show” consists of 31 seasons featuring thousands of celebrities and influential figures throughout its history.
Films
Norton worked in several films with versatile roles and bold topics of his time related to homosexuality. Below is the list of all those.
| Stargay | 1999 |
| Another Gay Movie | 2006 |
| I Could Never Be Your Woman | 2007 |
| Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie | 2016 |
| Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga Soul The Stand In | 2020 |
Television
The Irish comedian is the most important and influential British TV personality with his career spanning decades. His popular work on television is as follows:
| So Graham Norton | 1998–2002 |
| V Graham Norton | 2002–2003 |
| Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn | 2003–2004 |
| The Graham Norton Effect | 2004–2005 |
| Eurovision Song Contest | 2009- Present |
| Would You Rather…? with Graham Norton | 2011-2012 |
| Children in Need | 2016–2019 |
| RuPaul’s Drag Race: UK vs. the World | 2022- Present |
| The Graham Norton Show | 2007-Present |
Books
The list of best-selling books written by Graham Norton is as follows:
| So Me (Autobiography) | 2004 |
| Ask Graham: He’s Been Everywhere, He’s Seen Everything. Now Graham Norton’s Here to Solve Your Problems! | 2010 |
| The Life and Loves of a He Devil (Autobiography) | 2014 |
| Holding. London, England | 2016 |
| Holding | 2017 |
| A Keeper | 2018 |
| Home Stretch | 2020 |
| Forever Home: A Novel The Swimmer | 2022 |
| Forever Home | 2023 |
NET WORTH
Graham Norton has a net worth of USD 40 million approximately. Right now, he is among the most successful British TV hosts with his longer-running show on BBC.
Source of Income
His main source of income is the TV shows that he hosts. Moreover, he worked as a judge in reality shows as well. He is the most successful Irish author with multiple best-selling books all over Europe and America. The New York Times, The Telegraph, and The Guardian enlisted him as the author of top-selling books.
FAVORITES
A list of some of his favorite things of Graham Norton is as follows:
| Favorite Colors | Blue White |
| Favorite Artists | Miley Cyrus Madonna |
| Favorite Food | Fish |
| Favorite Destination | London |
| Favorite Book | A Town Called Solace |
| Favorite Song | Classical French and Irish |
| Favorite Sports | Football |
AWARDS
Norton won Awards for his remarkable contribution to Television.
| Gaytime Award | 1999 |
| British Academy Television Awards | 2000 |
| Royal Television Society | 2001 |
| British Academy Television Awards | 2001-2002 2011-2013 2015 |
| National Television Awards | 2017 |
| British Academy Television Awards | 2018 |
INTERESTING FACTS
- Graham has his range of alcohol, gin, wine, and prosecco.
- Norton has survived a vicious mugging for being homosexual.
- Once the thief broke out into his house and snatched his car from him.
- Norton makes the Guinness record for asking the most questions to the guest on a TV talk show.
- Wiles has a skin condition called vitiligo.
- He is gay.
- He once fell down the stairs and broke two ribs in 2009 right after hosting the BAFTAs.
- Graham Norton is not his real name.
Does Graham Norton have a partner?
He married his partner Jonathan Mcleod in County Cork, Ireland in 2022.
What made Graham Norton famous?
He is famous for his stand-up comedy and his show on BBC "The Graham Norton Show" which hosts famous personalities.
What books does Graham Norton recommend?
He recommends various books some of which are
- A Town Called Solace
- Garnethill. Denise Mina
- Maureen O'Donnell wasn't born lucky
- Misfortune
What age is Graham Norton?
He is 60 years old.
Does Graham Norton have a child?
No, he doesn't have a child.
