BTS, the biggest boy band in the world, perform live and exclusively, Whoopi Goldberg talks about sex, Harry Connick Jr.

chats about New Orleans, Jamie Dornan says the craziness of Christian Grey is almost forgotten and Rosamund Pike thinks

her lack of fame secured Gone Girl

On tonight's show (12th October) Graham welcomes legendary comedian, actor and writer Whoopi Goldberg, US singer and actor Harry Connick Jr., Oscar-nominated British actress Rosamund Pike, The Fall and Fifty Shades star Jamie Dornan, and South Korean boyband BTS.

Whoopi, asked if it is true she would like a UK television gig, she says, "Yes, yes, yes, but they keep saying no. I keep begging for something, anything, and they're like, 'No, we don't have anything for you.' I even suggested them putting me in something with Lenny Henry. But, that hasn't worked yet! There is so much going on, there must be something."

Talking about her one-woman show, Whoopi Goldberg Live, she says, "I talk about what's on my mind, sex, and the lack of it, and how at a certain age, you can't look a man without thinking, 'Too young, too young!' and I feel bad because I like to ogle!"

Asked if the Q&A element of her show is different in the UK, she says, "Well here, they're not as interested in who I have had sex with. Here, they are more interested in who inspired me. In America, there is a list of men floating around I am supposed to have slept with. I am from a time before cameras so if you went out to lunch with someone, the tabloids would print that you were having sex with them!"

And, on the new Sister Act, she says, "It's being made but not with me. I guess I'm too old to play Deloris. This is the movies - sometimes you get to play something on Broadway and then you look around and someone else is playing your part. This is how it works sometimes - they say they can make more money with younger people."

Harry, talking about celebrating 300 years of New Orleans through his concerts, says, "There is so many styles of music - It was the music I grew up with. It is a

lot of fun. When I play in New Orleans it will be very special. It will be a big party."

Rosamund, talking about starring in Gone Girl, says, "I think I only got the part because I was not too famous. You need to assume that the character has disappeared and is dead. Had it been Reece Witherspoon or Nicole Kidman, audiences wouldn't believe that they had signed up to play the dead girl, whereas Rosamund Pike definitely would!"

Talking about A Private War, and asked if she believes Marie Colvin was addicted to danger, she says, "I think it is very complicated. It was a job she was really good at. She had tremendous capacity for empathy and believed she could go to some of the darkest places on earth and that her words could penetrate. I think it does become a sort of addiction and life has some sort of clarity when you are in danger. Then you come home and everything feels less relevant and more complicated."

Asked if Marie's family is happy with the film, she says, "You cannot tell a story like this without realising that your privilege in telling the story comes at enormous cost to those people that loved her and lost her very recently. It is difficult for them. It is very emotional but they are embracing the film."

On her amazing physical transformation for the role, Rosamund says, 'I had to change everything - my hair, my teeth, my eyes, my walk and I had to learn to smoke. Gosh, that was hard, but now I'm quite a good smoker! It's probably a bit of a dated skill now everyone is vaping!"

Jamie, asked if the crazy fandom that went with Fifty Shades of Grey has gone away, says, "I hope so! I've kind of forgotten. That's the best way to deal with it. There are mad, mad people everywhere that ask for inappropriate things. I was playing golf in Scotland a couple of years ago and a woman asked me to sign her breasts - 'Jamie' on one and 'Dornan' on the other. I didn't do it because I worried about what the picture of me doing it would look like!"

Talking about being in Trolls 2, he says, "I've played a lot of creepy characters so my kids can't watch anything I'd done so I basically begged Universal to give me a part. I loved it and it was an amazing experience, but doing voice over made me very uncomfortable."

Asked about his upcoming BBC Two series, Death and Nightingales, he says, "All I can say is that I wear a hat and have a beard."

Amid screams and shouts, reminiscent of Beetlemania (inside and outside the studio), BTS perform Idol live and exclusively, before joining Graham for a chat.

Talking about their global domination, they say, "We are very lucky to live in a time of social media but our sincerity in our music, performance and our army's love, made it."

On speaking at the United Nations, they say, "Life is full of dilemmas and we always have to have the pain inside. When the light comes we always have the

shadows, which we can't avoid, but we should always find the way to love ourselves, especially the youth, who should be happy and live their life."

Whoopi, touched by their message of positivity, takes off her shirt and gives it to them. She says, "I'm giving you this to say thank you for all of the joy you're bringing - if you look closely, it (the fabric) is all about people and movement. Thank you."

And finally, Graham pulls the lever on more foolhardy audience members brave enough to sit in the Big Red Chair.

The Graham Norton Show, BBC One, Friday 12th October 10.45pm.

Pictures are available from Press Association.

Notes to editors – All quotes in this release were said during the recording of the show but won’t necessarily appear in the final version.

Next week (19th October) Graham’s guests include Sir Michael Caine, Chris Pine, Rami Malek, Sally Field and Christine and the Queens.

For further information please contact Mary Collins 07769 670516 or at mary@marycollins-pr.com 

12th October 2018