Graham Norton Reveals How He Almost Died Once

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Irish broadcaster Graham Norton, best known as the host of The Graham Norton Show on the BBC once came dangerously close to losing his life. Before starting his broadcasting career in the early 1990s, Norton was a drama student in London in 1989. One day, when he was walking back home, he was brutally stabbed, mugged, and left on the street to die. According to the BBC host, the harrowing experience has stayed with him every day since then.

During an appearance on the How to Fail podcast with Elizabeth Day, Norton shared that he was in his mid-20s at the time of the incident. The TV presenter confessed that back then, he didn’t realize how close he was to dying. “I didn’t figure it out until later,” he added. Norton revealed that he cried out in pain and asked a stranger to hold his hand. While she was reluctant initially, the lady comforted Norton until help arrived on the scene.

The TV host shared that after the stabbing, he knew that he didn’t want to die alone. In fact, he confessed that many of his life decisions were motivated by the tragic incident. Norton shared that the experience has also helped him deal with failure throughout his career. According to him, the stabbing has been “a powerful life lesson” that has helped him develop a good attitude toward taking risks.

Graham Norton Opens Up About Hosting ‘Wheel of Fortune’

In 2024, Norton hosted ITV’s revival of the British version of Wheel of Fortune. The game show is scheduled to return on January 2, 2025, with Norton as the host once again. As he prepares for the show’s second season, Norton spoke with The Independent and reflected on what makes the game show so special. According to the host, the show’s “stupidly high stakes” keep viewers hooked.

While comparing the British version of the show to its American counterpart, Norton confessed that the latter is much faster. He noted how the episodes for the American Wheel of Fortune are 20 minutes long. On the other hand, he believes that the British players have a lot more time to think. However, Norton thinks it’s because the format of the game is much more ingrained in the Americans.

While speaking about the upcoming season of the show, Norton revealed that the fans can expect bigger cash prizes. The host shared that the contestants will start by winning smaller prizes before competing for “life-changing amounts.” Norton noted that this time around, participants will have the chance to win as much as £60,000 or £70,000. As far as his own experience on the show goes, Norton confessed that seeing people’s lives change in real time is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.

The UK version of Wheel of Fortune returns on ITV on January 4, 2025. Previous episodes of the show are available to stream on Itv.com.