Matthew McConaughey reveals how he loved gaining weight for his latest role, Ed Sheeran lets slip what really happened during the alleged royal sword incident, Christina Ricci says her school friends weren’t interested in her acting success and Josh Widdicombe tells how Donald Trump made him a little richer
On tonight’s show (Friday 20th January) Graham welcomes Oscar winning actor Matthew McConaughey, singer songwriter Ed Sheeran, Hollywood star Christina Ricci and comedian Josh Widdicombe.
Matthew, talking about beefing up for his latest movie Gold, says, “I’ve had roles where I’ve lost a lot of weight, but for this one got to gain a lot of weight. Gaining is much more fun!”
Revealing his family enjoyed the new regime too, he says, “For six months I had a rule that everyone had to say yes to every desire they wanted 24/7. I was a real yes man. Pizza night could be any night and if the kids wanted to go bowling at midnight on a school night that was a great idea too. Cheeseburger and beer for breakfast was a great idea too. I really relaxed on the rules!”
Asked how hard it was to lose the weight after filming stopped, he says, “I didn’t think about it until I got there and when I did get there I noticed that quite a lot of fat had really settled in. I did have a few moments when I looked in the mirror and thought, ‘This may be it buddy!’” Adding, “It was fun and my family kind of misses me being a fat ass. My nickname in the family was Captain Fun. The whole family probably put on a little extra luggage but I was fat and happy!”
Talking about his other new film, the animation Sing, Matthew says, “I thought it was about time I made a movie that my kids could see. I haven’t made one they could watch for the last 10 years and I think they were sick of not being about to answer the question, ‘What’s your favourite movie that your Dad’s made?’”
Ed, talking about making money and indulging himself with things he didn’t have as a child, says, “When my album went to number one I bought the Death Star Lego kit – it was time! And, when my goddaughter wanted a Ninja Turtle I got her one and bought myself the Ninja Turtle Truck! I have a load of kid’s stuff; a room full of teddy bears and two giant pandas in my bedroom.”
Revealing he doesn’t let girls get in the way of playing with his toys, he says, “I once went on a date, brought a Lego set with me and while we were chatting I made the set and then left.”
Talking about taking a year off to travel, and asked why he did it, he says, “I got to the end of a five year tour and literally had everything to show for it professionally but nothing to show for it personally.” And on his choice of destinations, he says, “I looked at where my albums had been sold and because very few had sold in Japan I went there.”
And, on the recently reported and somewhat unlikely tale of the princess, the sword and the mock knighting of James Blunt, in which Ed’ face was cut, he rather coyly says, “I can’t talk about it. I don’t know what will happen if I do!” Asked how the story ended up in the papers, he says, “I have no idea how it came out as there weren’t a lot of people there that night. For two weeks after, I had a huge gash on my face and would tell people I fell and then suddenly, the story came out.” Adding quickly, “The alleged story came out.” He then inadvertently digs the hole he is in a little deeper and says, “I remember telling my dad about it and he didn’t believe me and said, ‘No, what really happened?’”
Christina, talking about being a successful child actor and asked what it was like going back to school between films, says, “I learnt never to talk about what happened on set. I remember the first time I went back I started talking to these girls I had been friends with and told them all about Cher and Winona Ryder (in Mermaids) and they were like, ‘Nobody even knows who that is.’ I thought, ‘So this doesn’t please you, I will never mention any of this again.’ We just never talked about the freak in middle school that was in the movies.”
Asked about Z: The Beginning of Everything, in which she stars as Zelda Fitzgerald, she says, “Working on a TV show is really interesting and very different to working on a movie. One thing that is very nice about doing a bio series is that you really get to live with the person so the evolution of the character takes a more natural amount of time. It’s fascinating.”
Josh, talking about winning a recent bet, says, “I like to bet on things I don’t want to happen so I put £200 on Trump getting elected and made me 750 quid!”
Asked about his TV show The Last Leg, he says, “It’s great doing a topical show when the world is going mad. Everyone is going to die but we are going to get good ratings!” Talking about Jeremy Corbyn’s appearance, Josh says, “He turned up for the show and he had never seen it. He didn’t know who I was and I think he thought he was going on a Friday night chat show. Then we asked him to dress up as a pimp thinking he wouldn’t do it and then he did it!” Adding, “A week later I was on a train and he sat down opposite and didn’t recognise me!”
Ed performs Castle on the Hill live in the studio before Graham pulls the lever on more foolhardy audience members brave enough to sit in the Big Red Chair, including someone very familiar to Ed.
The Graham Norton Show, BBC One, 20th January BBC One 10.35pm
Pictures are available from PA
Notes to editors – all quotes in this release were said during the recording but won’t necessarily appear in the final show.
Next week (27th January) Graham’s guests include Danny Boyle, Jonny Lee Miller, Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle and Ewen Bremner.
For further information please contact Mary Collins 07769 670516 or at
20th January 2017