The Graham Norton programme is returning to television with a star-studded cast.
After a well-deserved sabbatical, the Irish comedian, 60, will return to the front of his titular show on Friday, September 29, and he won’t be alone.
Kylie Minogue will promote her new album Tension alongside Peaky Blinders actor Stephen Graham, who will talk about the TV spin-off of his 2021 film Boiling Point.
Peep Show star David Mitchell and Taskmaster regular Mawaan Rizwan will also appear, as will Eurovision singer Mae Muller.
Tom Cruise, Jennifer Lawrence, Will Smith, Meryl Streep, Dame Judi Dench, and Sir Paul McCartney are just a few of the megastars who have appeared on the iconic BBC show.
However, it was recently reported that because to the ongoing Sag-Aftra strikes, executives were having difficulty securing the major names.
Hollywood went on strike in early July after the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists voted overwhelmingly to walk out after weeks of failed negotiations.
Negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents companies such as Disney, Warner Brothers, and Netflix, failed to produce new contracts.
Members’ requests have included improved compensation and increased safeguards for AI rights.
A source told The Mirror: ‘The BBC is in crisis as the Hollywood strikes are causing its flagship chat show an absolute headache for its next run later this year.’
The insider added that even British stars have refused publicity and promotion ‘out of solidarity.’
The WGA has also expressed concern about the development of streaming and Artificial Intelligence (AI) endangering authors’ jobs.
The last time there was a writer’s strike was in 2007, when it lasted 100 days and cost the economy $2.1 billion (£1.6 billion) in California alone.
Many notable people have backed the strikes, including Tom Hanks, Pete Davidson, Drew Barrymore, and US President Joe Biden.
The Graham Norton Show returns Friday September 29 at 10.40pm on BBC One.
Source My Celebrity Life.