Graham Norton on life off camera and his debut novel Holding

Graham Norton’s debut novel – a murder story set in a fictional West Cork town – is one of the best books you’ll read this year. How can one man have so many talents, wonders Caroline O’Doherty.

You might imagine that feeling sorry for Graham Norton would take quite a bit of effort but there is a moment in conversation when there comes a terrific urge to ring up random numbers in Hollywood and berate whoever answers for their thoughtlessness towards him.

He’s talking about how life is when his weekly celebrityfest, The Graham Norton Show on BBC1, is over, the audience leaves, the lights go down and the heartthrobs, pin-ups, Oscar winners and box office magnets go out to play.