Graham Norton has reacted to a clip from his 1999 appearance on Gay Byrne’s The Late Late Show, sharing ‘it was a really special thing’ to be on alongside Gay and broadcasting legend Terry Wogan.
The clip, which sees Graham opening up on his homosexuality, was shared via RTÉ One’s TikTok page before Christmas, with social media users lauding the trio as the ‘GOATS’ [greatest of all time].
Graham was 34 at the time and, prompted by Gay asking if he ever had ‘any difficulty’ regarding his sexuality and coming out, noted how he was ‘a bit thick.’
@rteone ♬ original sound – RTÉ One
Graham explained that he thought growing up in southern Ireland as a Protestant was linked to him feeling ‘a bit different.’
He said: ‘I thought I’m feeling this way because I’m a Protestant.’
Graham went on to explain that he felt ‘a bit different.. out of step.’
He said: ‘I thought I’m feeling out of step now, it must be the Protestant thing and then it was a revelation when I left Ireland and I realized that that wasn’t the Protestant thing at all.’
Reacting ahead of his appearance on The Late Late Show last week, Graham noted how he looked ‘so young.’
‘There’ll probably be a time when I’m looking at my appearance tonight thinking I look young,’ he added with a laugh.
The author and chat show host recalled the night being ‘such a thrill.’
He said: ‘It’s so rare to be kind of aware that something special — you know, normally, it’s you look back and you go, “Oh, that was special.”
‘I knew on this night it was a really special thing to be on with Gay, who I’d admired for so many years, and then Terry, who was kinda my career mentor/idol in the UK.’
He likened the 1999 appearance to his appearance on the show last week, which saw him joining Patrick Kielty, with American talk show host Conan O’Brien also appearing on the show.
Social media users took to the comments full of praise for the yet-again resurfaced clip, with many lauding the late Gay Byrne.
One said: ‘Gay Byrne was the best person for the Late Late Show… since he finished it just hasn’t been the same anymore.’
Another added: ‘Gay knew how to interview a guest, Graham was priceless that night.’
A third wrote: ‘It was funny.’
