The Graham Norton Show will go on despite coronavirus, even as producers face shortage of A-list guests
Graham Norton’s team is still “standing by” to make the next season (YouTube/Graham Norton)
Graham Norton fans can rest assured that the show will go on, although he will likely struggle to get many A-list celebs on the sofa.
As coronavirus sweeps across the globe, many films, TV shows and soap operas has been forced to suspend production.
The question of whether to do the same inevitably fell on Graham Norton’s BAFTA-award winning chat show, which is due to begin filming its upcoming series in April.
Usually Graham Norton could be expected to interview big-name stars ahead of their latest film releases, but the postponement of blockbuster movies, including the new Bond film No Time To Die, means producers are facing a shortage of guests.
However, according to reports, Norton’s team is still “standing by to make the new series”, albeit with a slightly different line-up than originally planned.
The popular gay TV star may instead opt to pull in “reliable raconteurs” from within the entertainment industry, such as Sir Michael Palin or Miriam Margoyles.
If the series does go ahead it’s looking likely that it won’t be filmed in front of a live studio audience, as government restrictions are set to ban this soon.
Several other shows have already axed their audience, including The Jeremy Vine Show and Loose Women.
ITV presenters Ant and Dec have pre-recorded material to allow their Saturday Night Takeaway to conclude its run, although the series finale in Florida has reportedly been scrapped due to travel restrictions.
Production on the latest series of Line of Duty and Peaky Blinders, two of the BBC’s most popular dramas, has been halted.
And over in the US, The Ellen Show has halted production until the end of the month, as have The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live and Late Night With Seth Meyers.
Netflix also shut down all scripted TV and film physical production for two weeks in the US.
