Graham Norton quits Radio 2 after 10 years and addresses future of his Friday night chat show
BBC broadcaster Graham Norton (Getty for BFI/ Tim P Whitby)
Graham Norton has quit his BBC Radio 2 show after a decade on-air.
The Drag Race UK and Eurovision royalty has presented a Saturday morning show for the broadcaster for a decade, but announced Wednesday (November 11) that he will be departing from the role next month.
His last show will be on December 19.
In a release, Norton said: “Obviously I’m sad to be stepping away from my Radio 2 show. I’ll miss being a part of the Wogan House family, as well as the listeners and their lives.
“I’d like to thank my producer Malcolm Prince and all the teams I’ve worked with for a great decade of radio.”
It is unclear whether Norton plans to front a show for another broadcaster, or step away from radio entirely.
However, the statement stressed that Norton would continue to front TV projects for the BBC, not least continuing with The Graham Norton Show, his role as a judge on Drag Race UK, and his position as a Eurovision Song Contest commentator.
BBC broadcaster Graham Norton is stepping away from his radio show (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
He made clear: “Happily with the chat show, Eurovision and Drag Race the BBC continues to be my perfect TV home.”
The BBC’s chief content officer Charlotte Moore added: “Graham Norton will be hugely missed on Saturday mornings on Radio 2, he is a first class broadcaster but I’m thrilled he’s committed to continuing to be a regular fixture on the BBC.”
Radio 2 head Helen Thomas added: “For the past decade, Graham has made Saturday mornings his own on Radio 2.
“His sparkling interviews, as well as his brilliant shows from the Eurovision host city each May, have kept millions of listeners entertained each week.
“On behalf of the Radio 2 listeners, and everyone in Wogan House, we’d like to thank him and wish him the very best of luck for the future.”
The broadcaster said that Norton’s replacement would be announced “in due course.”
Graham Norton fans await the 2021 return of Drag Race UK and Eurovision.
Meanwhile, Graham Norton will make his return to Drag Race UK when the second season debuts in “early 2021”, with next year’s Eurovision Song Contest currently scheduled for May 22 – in case you want to mark your calendars early.
The broadcasting legend recently found controversy after questioning the need for same-sex dance couples on Strictly Come Dancing.
Norton had questioned whether a same-sex couple might “muddy the waters” when it came to judging, insisting: “I don’t think it’s a homophobic thing. You want to be able to compare like with like.”
However, he later said he regretted the remark, ahead of the debut of the show’s first same-sex pairing.
Norton tweeted: “This is entirely my own fault. Ages ago gave a throwaway comment to a journalist who wanted me to slag off Strictly. Clever clogs remembered and now look!! So sorry. Big up Nicola Adams and her partner!!”
