19 reasons to love Graham Norton
Cork welcomes home one of its most famous sons this week as Graham Norton returns to his alma mater UCC to receive an honorary doctorate on Friday.
As we all know, Graham was brought up in the west Cork town of Bandon and attended UCC before being drawn by the bright lights across the water.
It's a tall order to put together a highlights reel from a 20-year career littered with moments of wit and brilliance, but we've had a go. Here's - but there are many, many more.
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Room for two more in the St Luke's Youth Group?
And with that, a legend was born.
Part of Graham's gift is inveigling celebrities into doing outlandish things and shedding their PR-preened image. Most of them prove themselves fair game.
Such as pretending to fart via remote microphone.
Another classic clip, this time featuring Nana from The Royle Family.
What marked Graham out from the start was his willingness to sail close to the wind. Case in point, right here.
Anna Friel and Matt Lucas are on hand to watch Graham roll a giant condom over an audience member. Like we said, close to the wind.
Of course Graham has many more strings to his bow than as a mere chat show host. He's the razor-tongued host of the UK's Eurovision coverage, and not adverse to the odd comic cameo.
Everybody feels comfortable on Graham's couch. Sometimes a little too comfortable...
Daniel Radcliffe manages to splice in some educational fare.
"This is easily the strangest show I've ever been on," says Robert Downey Jr.
"You should have been here last week, mate," thinks Ed Byrne to himself (probably).
Little-known fact. Ed Byrne actually lives in a secret compartment in the red couch, so he can come out whenever anybody cancels.
Audience participation. Another key to Graham's success. Although sometimes things are lost in translation, as here with Joan Rivers and Johnny Knoxville.
Rollercoaster, pooper scooper, oompa loompa, Kawasaki.
One of the best-ever stories from The Big Red Chair (little-known fact: the segment's 'official' name is "That's All We've Got Time For").
Nobody else would ask David Attenborough to narrate a tortoise humping a croc. Except Graham, and that's why he's top dog.
Scarleh for ya, Murs. Scarleh.
Just one of the highlights from the epic 'Mark Wahlberg Drunk' episode. Also known as the 'Sarah Silverman's Upper Thighs' episode, in certain quarters (mine).
The best Big Red Chair ever from one of the best episodes ever (Wahlberg drunk, see above).
What more can be said about the telly moment of 2013 so far? Fourteen YouTube hits and proof, if ever it were needed, that Graham's still got the Midas touch.
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Hope you enjoy your day on Friday Graham. If you're stuck for somebody to go for a pint with, you know where we are.
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