The Graham Norton Show - Series 23, Episode 4 - Orlando Bloom, Stephen Merchant, Tamsin Greig, SuRie - British Comedy Guide (original) (raw)

Orlando Bloom says returning to the stage is a massive adrenaline rush, Tamsin Greig talks about being recognised, Stephen Merchant says the theatre is not for him, and SuRie performs live in the studio.

Orlando Bloom, talking about his new play Killer Joe and his return to the theatre, says, "It's fantastic and although it's 17 years-old, it feels very current. Most people would not think of me in this role after 'Will Turner' and 'Legolas'. It has sensitive material and is quite dark, shocking and challenging. The appeal of the theatre is the response from the audience. It's like free-falling and a massive adrenaline rush."

Talking about his seven-year-old son's appreciation of his work, Orlando says, "He definitely won't be seeing Killer Joe but he has seen some of Pirates of the Caribbean. It's very hard to impress him but he liked it."

Tamsin Greig, talking about Radio 4's The Archers and being recognised, says, "I don't know what it is, but people think they can say anything to me. The other day someone said, 'You're much better at acting than you used to be!' and, when I was heavily pregnant I was shopping for paint. I was down on all fours looking for the colour on the bottom shelf and the only thing you could see of me was my very big pregnancy bum. Someone came up to me and said, 'Well, if it isn't Debbie Aldrige!'

"Another person said, 'I love you in The Archers. You pause so well.' So, I thought, 'You think I am at my best when you can't see me and I am silent!"

Stephen Merchant, asked if he would ever consider being in a play again, says, "No, not at all. Doing the same thing every night might be a struggle." Adding jokingly and referencing his 6'7" frame, "The only thing worse than being on stage is sitting in the seats. It's definitely not for me."

Talking about his father, Stephen recounts an early learning experience, "We were on a family day out and I found a camera. I took it to my dad and asked if we should hand it in. He said, 'No. Finders, Keepers (Losers Weepers),' and we used it for the next five years. When we were on holiday and the camera went missing, my father said, 'Thieving bastards!'"

Asked about Sherlock Gnomes and his voice for the role, he jokes, "My acting range is mainly West Country. I can 'do' Swindon and Newton Poppleford, but I usually do 'stupid' and 'stupider.'"

SuRie performs Storm, the UK Eurovision entry, live in the studio before joining Graham for a chat about heading to Lisbon.

Asked which entry she thinks will win, she says, "I have tried to listen to them all and I think the biggest threat is from Australia. It's a great tune."

And finally, Graham pulls the lever on more foolhardy audience members brave enough to sit in this week's Eurovision themed Big Red Chair.