Graham Norton Shows Why Jonathan Ross Should Host Eurovision
Finally, Saturday mornings are back to normal, as Jonathan Ross returns to the Light Programme (sorry, I mean Radio 2) right after Brian Matthews. Unlike his return to the TV, his radio show felt much more natural and “Wossy".†hey, he even had a woman to interview.
But what caught my attention was his first interviewee, Graham Norton. As well as pushing his appearance in La Cage Aux Folles, the pair of them also discussed the Eurovision Song Contest. And it seems from the conversation aired that the BBC had the perfect Eurovision host under their nose. Someone who knows how it works, the organisation, and also the big names and music that have happened in Eurovision in previous years.
Had.
Because they hired Graham Norton to take over from Terry Wogan as the host… and not Jonathan Ross. Who brought up Ruslana on the show today? Ross. Who didn’t recognise the song? Norton. Who knew the date of the final? Ross. Who would check with his travel agent? Norton. Who even threw out “don’t you remember S.a.g.a.p.o? and “did you know Greece has been the most successful country in the last ten years? Ross.
Now I’m pretty sure that much of Norton’s performance on the show was his comic persona, and not the hard graft that goes on behind the scenes, reading and researching information, making sure you prepare like crazy before going like… But the whole Eurovision exchange, from the “I’ll be as drunk as Terry half way through,†“why do I have to be in Russia, can I not do it in a room in London†seems to be a natural extension of Terry Wogan’s “let’s laugh at the foreigners†approach that has done the United Kingdom a disservice.
I hope what was on show was a heightened performance on the part of Norton, and not his true feelings. Time will tell…
Interesting thought process. I completely agree with your opinion on Terry Wogan, and I hope that Graham Norton doesn’t emulate any of that when he’s hosting – but I highly doubt he will. Although he’s comedic, Norton isn’t stupid, and he’s far from xenophobic. I think he’ll probably do a great job – but you might be right that Wossy may have done even better.
Who watched Eurovision these days anyway? ;)
Oh, Norton is SO going to laugh at everyone else in Eurovision. Not because he’s xenophobic, but because he’ll see easy jokes in everything, and surely that’s what he’s been hired for …