Graham Norton is usually pretty discreet with stories about guests that grace his famous red sofa, but the Irish presenter has made an exception for Mark Wahlberg.
Appearing at the Henley Literary Festival, Norton revealed that it was “hell” interviewing The Departed star in 2013, when he appeared on The Graham Norton Show alongside the likes of Sarah Silverman and Michael Fassbender.
Norton’s theory is that Wahlberg overindulged before his appearance to promote Broken City, leading to the actor creating mischief during the BBC recording and, at one point, falling asleep.
“Mark Wahlberg was a weird one because when he arrived, he didn’t seem drunk,” Norton said, per a report in The Independent. “He told me about his film, told me a couple of stories about stunts going wrong or whatever, and then it was only 15 minutes into the show when whatever the hell was in his system really took hold – and it was hell.”
He added that other guests struggled to be heard. “You tried to tell a story, he’d just interrupt and, at one stage, Michael Fassbender was telling a story and this one was going quite well. He was really getting into the heart of the anecdote,” Norton explained.
“I thought: this one is going well – I wonder why, and I looked over at Mark Wahlberg and he was asleep. So yeah, we don’t encourage that [drinking].”
Commenting on his chaotic appearance, during which Wahlberg sat on Norton’s lap, the actor told Digital Spy in 2013: “I tried to do a bit, and some people took it a little too seriously.”
Norton debunked the idea that guests, who usually sip on something while being interviewed, are plied with alcohol by producers at So Television.
“There’ll be a drink waiting for you if you want one and then, while we’re showing a clip or getting the music ready, they might be able to rush in and top you up, but the most you can have is two, three tops,” he said, joking: “So if anyone does want to appear on the show and be drunk, my tip to you would be pre-load.”
It appears there were no hard feelings between The Graham Norton Show and Wahlberg, as the actor has been booked by the show four times since 2013, with his most recent appearance coming in 2017.
Norton has previously named his worst-ever guest: Harvey Weinstein. The shamed film producer was booked in 2015 alongside others, including David Tennant and Olivia Colman. Norton said in 2022 that Weinstein emailed him personally and was very insistent about appearing. “And it was sort of chilling in retrospect, because I was just laughing at those emails. But you realise, oh my God, that is an insight into how that man is,” Norton remembered.