Graham Norton’s replacement revealed for one-off special of BBC chat show-Asyia Iftikhar-Entertainment – Metro

Graham Norton has sorted his cover while he is away on tour (Picture: PA Wire)

The BBC has confirmed that TV star Claudia Winkleman will step into Graham Norton’s shoes while he is on tour next month.

The popular late-night chat show, The Graham Norton Show, is known for bringing together the biggest faces in TV and film on the sofa to reveal their craziest career stories and spill on their upcoming projects.

Claudia, host of hit shows Strictly Come Dancing and The Traitors, will take over the coveted gig while the 61-year-old Bafta winner is on his live theatre tour in Australia.

The 52-year-old media personality will appear on the show tonight as a guest (alongside Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson and Billy Porter) where Graham thanks her for covering for him, to which she jokes: ‘I apologise in advance’.

The choice is no surprise, given the rumours last January that she is tipped to potentially replace Graham on the show in the future, per The Mirror.

The star reportedly once filmed her own chat show pilot with So Television (the production company behind The Graham Norton Show) but other commitments have prevented it from going ahead right now.

Claudia Winkleman will take Graham Norton’s place for the season’s last live show (Picture: PA Wire)

She is also a guest on tonight’s show (Picture: PA Wire)

Now she will guest host the last live show of the season on February 28, although her line-up of stars is yet to be confirmed. Graham will then front a compilation episode the following week.

The show then returns with Graham for a new run in September.

The Irish comedian is heading to Australia and New Zealand for an Evening with Graham Norton, commencing on March 9.

Meanwhile, in tonight’s episode, Claudia also opens up about her experience getting a back massage from an animal physiotherapist while filming The Traitors in the Scottish Highlands.

She recalled: ‘I did my back in so asked if I could see a physio. We are in the middle of nowhere so that wasn’t easy.

‘When this chap turned up the producer asked me not to be chatty with him – I thought she meant I was not to talk about what was going on in the production, so I asked him who else he had treated and he said: “Two shire horses and a miniature Dachshund”. It turns out they didn’t want me to know he was a vet!’

Tonight she discusses a strange back massage and her love for The Traitors (Picture: PA)

She is not the first person to guest host the show (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert/Mark Mainz)

The reality series has returned to the BBC for a third successful season, peaking at 5.4 million views for the season premiere (only eclipsed by the season two finale).

No doubt a great relief for Claudia who told Graham: ‘I am always very nervous that people aren’t watching and then incredibly grateful that they are.

‘I feel about Traitors like people feel about an offspring – you’re so glad when people love it. I can’t say much but the producers are so clever and there are lots of twists and turns coming.’

Claudia is not the first person to guest host The Graham Norton Show, although it is a rare occurrence.

Comedian Jack Whitehall covered for Graham in 2019 while he was away preparing for Eurovision.

The Graham Norton Show airs on BBC One on Friday, January 10 at 10.40pm and will be available on BBC iPlayer. Next week’s guests are Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, and Griff.

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