Late Late Show Viewers Stunned as Graham Norton Drops Daniel O’Donnell Bombshell
RTE’s Late Late Show delivered unexpected drama and delight on Friday night as Graham Norton—one of the world’s most celebrated chat show hosts—sat down with Patrick Kielty and casually revealed a surprising behind-the-scenes story involving none other than Daniel O’Donnell.
Fresh off a flight from New York and promoting his latest novel, Frankie, Norton had the audience in stitches—until he dropped a moment of pure TV gold. When asked by Kielty if there had ever been a guest who evaded him over the years, Norton didn’t hesitate.
“Well, I think it was the second season of So Graham Norton on Channel 4. It was a different time. We were doing a lot of risky stuff back then—it was all a bit of fun. We sent invites out to so many people and one day we thought, ‘Let’s try Daniel O’Donnell.’”
To everyone’s surprise, Daniel said yes. The appearance was even added to TV listings. But just days before the show was to air, something changed.
“I think it was the Friday before Daniel was supposed to come on when either Daniel himself or someone from his camp tuned in and watched the show,” Norton recalled, grinning. “All of a sudden Daniel was busy and didn’t come on the show.”
The Late Late Show audience—and viewers at home—were gobsmacked by the unexpected revelation. Social media lit up.
“You’ve got to love Graham Norton. Always a great guest,” one viewer wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“Brilliant line-up tonight—Graham Norton is a legend in his own right! Brendan O’Carroll, Adam Clayton, and Paul Mescal too? Friday nights don’t get much better than this!” added another.
The interview also took a cheeky turn when Kielty complimented Norton’s skill at writing steamy scenes in Frankie.
“I think you nailed it, but I probably shouldn’t really say that,” Kielty joked, prompting laughter from the crowd.
Between sharp wit, literary success, and surprise celebrity anecdotes, Graham Norton once again proved why he’s one of the most entertaining guests on Irish television—and why the Late Late Show remains must-watch viewing.