Parents' Guide to

The Graham Norton Show

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Bawdy UK talk show has lots of suggestive content.

TV BBC America Comedy 2007
The Graham Norton Show Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 4 parent reviews

CarolineJ 1
CarolineJ 1 Parent
August 30, 2018
age 11+

I like this tv-show

And Its not so much bad talk, and they are not nude. But its are little bad words sometimes.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
aj A.
aj A. Parent
November 14, 2017
age 10+

yALLL

i think it depends on how mature your child acts

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Popular Irish comedian Graham Norton brings his trademark quick wit and flamboyant style to his self-titled talk show, which is devoted to his love of celebrity gossip, off-beat humor, and all things quirky. Following a similar pattern as most other late-night comedy shows, THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW opens with a monologue, in which Norton offers commentary on a range of topics including current events, celebrity goofs (with the British royal family as the butt of many of his jokes), and personal anecdotes. After that, he introduces his two guests, who join him on the show's homey set for the rest of the hour. Norton trades playful banter and clever quips with his willing celeb victims and toys with members of the live audience, often choosing people to join him onstage for games, skits, and stunts. Some episodes also feature a musical guest, who performs toward the show's end.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4):
Kids say (3):

It's easy to see why Norton has long been a popular TV personality in the UK. His razor-sharp wit and gift of gab keep his famous guests on their toes and his fans in stitches. But this talk show comes with a warning about mature themes for good reason: Conversations routinely include strong innuendo, graphic sex references, and lighthearted jokes that cast drinking and drug use in a positive light.

Since little is left unsaid (and what is said is peppered with strong language) and many of the audience stunts are laced with sexual dares (in one, Norton encourages a woman to remove her panties and run through the streets swinging them around), this is an iffy choice even for some teens. Guess that just means parents will have to save Norton for themselves.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the different types of comedy. How does the humor in this show compare to others you like? Does the strong language or mature content tickle your funny bone or turn you off? Why? What role do shock value and controversy play in the success of a comedian's material? Do you think it's any more difficult to create comedy around non-controversial content? Why or why not?

TV Details

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