The Graham Norton Show - Series 13, Episode 5 - Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Pine, Kim Cattrall, Bonnie Tyler - British Comedy Guide (original) (raw)

Chris Pine meets some Pine-Nuts up close and personal, Benedict Cumberbatch can't say much about either Star Trek or Sherlock and Kim Cattrall talks about her pointy ears, while Bonnie Tyler is hopeful for Eurovision.

Chris Pine, talking about Star Trek and an encounter with the original Captain Kirk, William Shatner, says, "He did a documentary on all the captains and I took part but said I wasn't going to do any pranky stunt stuff. I was assured that wouldn't happen and then in comes Bill, an 83 year-old bubbly ball of energy, who says, 'right, we go out there, we will arm wrestle in front of Paramount Studios, the crowd will surround us and I'm going to win.' There was no way to deny him when he's so passionate, he is a lovely, lovely guy."

Talking about the passion of Star Trek fans, he says, "It is extraordinary. In this digital age where you can find anything online you can still go out and meet people - it's palpable and so much fun. We were in Moscow for the premiere and it's freezing and people had stayed out over night - it was our own little version of 'Beatle mania'."

Benedict Cumberbatch, talking about his role as the baddy in the movie, says, "I'm not allowed to say much, but I can say I am a terrorist who is pretty devastating and uses his wits as well as his brawn and that was fun to do."

Asked if he has always been a fan of the franchise, he says, "I was aware of it but when I watched the 2009 film I realised I was sentimentally very attached to the characters. They'd sort of seeped into my subconscious. I wasn't obsessed with watching it but it was on at a very timely slot on BBC One just before the six o'clock news. I was more a fan of Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark and as a kid wanted to be Harrison Ford, but I've really got into it now."

Recounting a prank Chris played on him during filming, Benedict says, "We were in a really futuristic laboratory with lasers that were trying to split a target smaller than a human hair to create a continual form of energy. And I was like, "Wow, this is the real deal, what can't we touch? What's safe?'

"I got on set and was told I needed to wear 'neutron cream' to protect me. I was gullible and did what I was told, it's America and there is a lot of health and safety." Chris interjects, "And we told him he had to apply the cream in dots all over his face and there he was doing this really intense scene with sunscreen spots all over him." Benedict adds, "I should have known. They had me, completely had me. It was really very funny."

On the return of Sherlock, he says, "We start where the last series finished, we explain the fall and we reunite Sherlock and Watson, but nobody yet knows what happened and that's the brilliance of it." And on Sherlock's trademark monologues, he says, "They are amazingly hard to learn, it's very tricky. It's like driving a very fast car and going, 'oh my god is that a wall?'"

Kim Cattrall, talking about her own appearance as a Vulcan in an earlier Star Trek movie says, "They do moulds of your ears and it takes an hour and a half to put on. One night I decided to wear them out to dinner with friends and then I went to bed and when I woke up my hair was completely matted to the ears - it was like bubblegum, I could get them off."

On her new play, Sweet Bird of Youth, she says, "I am thrilled to be doing it. It's been in the works for about two years." And on the subject matter of a faded movie star in the 1950s, she says, "I think fame was different then. There were fewer movie stars and they were so iconic and they just weren't seen in public except in Hollywood. Now the world is a smaller place and everyone has access."

Members of Graham's audience reveal themselves to be huge fans of Chris and Benedict, having travelled from as far afield as Hong Kong and Japan for the recording of the show. Showing their appreciation of the efforts their fans have made, the two stars gamely greet them individually. Chris's fans - Pine-Nuts - and Benedict's - Cumberbitches - are almost overwhelmed by meeting their idols.

Taking over Graham's role, and using his best villainous voice, Benedict records some rather sinister sounding programme trails. He also does rather a good impersonation of Graham...

Bonnie Tyler gives her first live TV performance of the UK's Eurovision entry Believe in Me, before joining Graham for a chat.

Talking about Eurovision, she says, "I am just hoping we don't come last for a change. I'd love to win it for the UK but as long as I do a good performance on the night I don't care what the score is."