Graham Norton's life off-screen with rarely-seen partner and huge net worth
Graham Norton has been a staple of British television for almost 30 years. But away from the cameras the star enjoys a happy marriage with his husband, whom he wed in 2022
Irish icon Graham Norton has been delighting audiences with his sensational presenting skills, flawless sense of humour and flair for commanding an audience for almost 30 years. Whether it was his laugh-out-loud antics on Father Ted, following in the footsteps of the late Terry Wogan to commentate Eurovision, or even helming his very own chat show, The Graham Norton Show, the star has cemented his place in the hearts of viewers across the country. But while many of us may be accustomed to Graham's on-screen presence, when the cameras stop rolling, the 61-year-old star lives a far more private life away from the spotlight with his husband, Scottish Filmmaker Jonathan McLeod.
Here, we take a closer look at everything you need to know about Graham's life off-screen. Graham William Walker was born on 4 April 1963 at 48 St Brigid's Road, in Clondalkin, County Dublin. His parents were William "Billy" Norton, a sales rep for Guinness and Rhoda Walker. In addition Graham also has an older sister named Paula. The family were raised in the Protestant faith and spent much of their formative years in Bandon, County Cork - a small rural town with a population of just 3,700 people, which Graham himself admitted was an isolating experience.
READ MORE: Spain holiday resorts introduce three drinks per evening limit for Irish tourists
READ MORE: Major change to Lanzarote and Tenerife as holidaymakers abandon resorts in their droves
For his compulsory education, Graham attended the Bandon Grammar School, before later accepting a place at University College Cork to study English and French. He studied for two years in total at university before withdrawing from his course after sadly suffering a breakdown which left him unable to leave his flat. He did however receive an honorary doctorate from the college in 2013.
At some point in the 1980's, Graham made the decision to move to London, after a year of living abroad in San Francisco. It was while in the English capital that he attended the Central School of Speech and Drama and went on to kickstart his showbiz career.
Graham first began his career at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, before earning himself a regular spot on BBC Radio 4 show, Loose Ends as a comedian and panelist in the early 1990s.
He later went on to make his acting debut in Channel 4 comedy series Father Ted which ran between 1996 and 1998. In the show, he played the part of Father Noel Furlong, an energetic catholic priest that was often seen taking charge of the St Luke's Youth Group - and that fans may recall started an infamous screeching contest on the show.
From 1998 onwards, Graham branched out into chat shows presenting, when he was given his own weekly show So Graham Norton until 2002, when he was instead given a daily weeknight show.
His major break came in 2001 however, when the BBC asked him to host Comic Relief, which even soon paved the way to more TV presenting roles with the network. From 2007 onwards he has hosted a weekly Friday night talk show that attracts some of the biggest music, film and TV heavyweights in the industry.
He also famously took over as the official UK commentator of Eurovision, following the sad death of Sir Terry Wogan in 2016.
In addition to his TV work, Graham is also an accomplished author and radio host - and even launched his own brand of wine to critical acclaim. Graham's estimated net worth is around £30 million, according to the wealth website Celebrity Net Worth.
Although his official earnings aren't completely certain we do know that he regularly picks up a hefty salary from the BBC for his work with the broadcaster. According to figures released by the BBC in the 2019-2020 year he was paid £725,000-£729,999 for his weekly radio show, plus 'a range of programmes and series, BAFTA film and TV awards'.
This was an increase from his earnings in 2018-2019, which were previously listed as £610,000-£614,999. However most recent earnings from the 2022-2023 year were not made public.
In addition to his BBC salary, Graham also has healthy revenue streams from his wine sales and career as an author, with the star having written eight books in total so far, including two autobiographies.
When he's not busy hard at work, Graham can be found spending time with his husband, Scottish Filmmaker Jonathan McLeod. The couple tied the knot in July 2022 when Graham held a wedding blessing party at Bantry House, County Cork to celebrate their union.
Prior to his marriage, Graham previously dated Kristian Seeber, a drag performer best known as Tina Burner, as well as Trevor Patterson and Andrew Smith. Reflecting on his past relationships, Graham even told The Independent in 2015, that his exes often "resented" him for their role in the public eye while dating him.
Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
