Graham Norton is going to be absent from his own show tonight as the Irish presenter hands over his role of host to another celebrity. The 61-year-old will be replaced tonight, February 28, with guests Chris Pratt, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Toby Jones, Rob Beckett and Rachel Chinouriri chatting to someone else.
The switch is only temporary, with Norton only absent for the final episode of season 32, as he heads to Australia for his tour ‘An Evening With Graham Norton’. The presenter will be visiting cities including Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne during March to discuss “hilarious tales from his star-studded sofa”. The tour will also include a Q&A with the audience.
But with the iconic host being absent, who will be stepping into Norton’s shoes? Well it’s none other than the beloved Claudia Winkleman. The news was announced earlier in the year, when the Traitors presenter appeared on the show as a guest.
But now she’ll be swapping the celebrity sofa for Norton’s chair. During her appearance on the show last month, Norton said: “Claudia does have another little job coming up. Because, at the end of this series I’m popping off to do a tour of Australia and my seat is going to be filled for one week only by none other than Claudia Winkleman.”
Winkleman joked: “I apologise in advance!” This isn’t the first time the Strictly Come Dancing host has taken over for Norton. back in 2021 she took his place after he quit his show on BBC Radio 2. At the time she said she was “gobsmacked” by her appointment adding that it was a “privilege and honour”.
Previously, comedian Jack Whitehall has stepped in as presenter on The Graham Norton Show, having filled in back in 2019 while Norton prepared for Eurovision. Winkleman’s new role is seemingly already a hit with fans as people praise the move on social media. One user wrote: “Looking forward to this!!!” Whilst others joked that they should aptly rename the show to ‘The Claudia Winkleman Show’.
The Graham Norton Show airs on BBC One on Friday, February 28 at 10:40pm.