Graham Norton names ‘worst ever’ guests on show including Mark Wahlberg

As Graham Norton celebrates his 63rd birthday, we take a look at the five celebrities the TV host found most ‘difficult’ to interview on his BBC show – including one major actor

Television presenters are used to interviewing people from every background, but it’s reasonable to say that some guests are more pleasant than others. While numerous celebrities are utterly charming, it’s quite common to experience ‘diva’ antics from stars who make the role difficult.

Considering that Graham Norton has been a television presenter for 30 years, making his major breakthrough in 1996, he has encountered and interviewed endless celebrities during his career.

As the presenter nears his 63rd birthday on Saturday (April 4), we’re examining the celebrities he found most ‘challenging’ to interview – including the star who leads his list for the ‘worst’ interview.

Mark Wahlberg

Norton, originally from Dublin, Ireland, officially named Mark Wahlberg as his “worst-ever” guest. During a 2013 visit to BBC’s The Graham Norton Show, Wahlberg turned up okay but became increasingly merry roughly 15 minutes into the programme.

He constantly interrupted fellow guests Michael Fassbender and Sarah Silverman, perched on Norton’s lap, and ultimately fell asleep on the settee while Fassbender was recounting a story, reports the Mirror.

Norton told The Mirror: “The famous (worst guest) was Mark Wahlberg, I guess. He was fine when he came on the show. There was not a hint of it and then about 20 minutes into the show (alcohol) caught up with him. Oh it was bad. At one point Mark was asleep on the couch in front of the audience.” He expanded on his nightmarish encounter with Wahlberg at Henley Literary Festival 2025 on 10 October, revealing to the audience: “If you ever see a drunk person on the show, it’s because they’ve arrived drunk – we have not made that happen.

“Mark Wahlberg was a bizarre one because when he turned up, he didn’t appear intoxicated. He spoke to me about his film, shared a couple of tales about stunts going awry or whatever, and then it was only 15 minutes into the programme when whatever the hell was in his system really kicked in – and it was hell.”

Norton disclosed that Michael Fassbender and Sarah Silverman were also left frustrated by Wahlberg’s conduct, revealing: “No one could share a story. You attempted to tell a story, he’d just cut in and, at one point, Michael Fassbender was recounting a story and this one was progressing quite nicely. He was really getting into the crux of the anecdote. I thought, ‘This one is going well – I wonder why’ and I glanced over at Mark Wahlberg and he was asleep.”

Robert De Niro

Along with Wahlberg, the TV presenter also described fellow actor Robert De Niro as a “benign presence” who was simply an awful storyteller. One anecdote was so protracted and rambling that De Niro eventually asked, “Why am I telling this?” before the entire segment was cut from the transmission.

Kevin Costner Norton has also previously alleged that he found American actor Kevin Costner “snooty” and impolite. He told The Express: “I ask him a question and he looks at me like ‘Jesus, do I have to talk to this man?’ He kind of gives a half-a*** answer and Helen Mirren chips in and asks him a question and he could not be happier.”

Mickey Rourke

Actor and professional boxer Mickey Rourke was labelled as “exhausting” and a “nightmare” by Norton. The star reportedly arrived holding a half-drunk bottle of Jack Daniels and persistently lit up cigarettes during filming.

Norton told New Zealand Herald: “Mickey Rourke he was just exhausting because he wanted to smoke all the time. I’d turn away for a second, turn back and he’d have lit another cigarette. It was so boring – you feel like a teacher taking children on a school trip, not a chat show host.”

David Cassidy

Norton also recalled interviewing 1970s pop icon David Cassidy as one of the worst experiences of his career. He described the late singer as “bitter and weird” during their interaction.

While appearing on This Morning, Norton discussed the uncomfortable Cassidy interview with hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford.

Norton explained why the encounter was so terrible, stating: “I loved him when I was a teenager, and then you meet him, and he’s so bitter and weird… not a happy time… I think David hates that he was David Cassidy.”

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