On February 13, 2026, the iconic red sofa of The Graham Norton Show was once again the stage for a lively mix of stars, laughter, and candid revelations. This week, the BBC One and iPlayer audience tuned in at 10:40 p.m. to see a lineup that spanned genres and generations: acclaimed actor Stephen Graham, sitcom superstar Kaley Cuoco, Olivier Award-winner Adrian Lester, rising talent Leo Woodall, and the ever-evolving British band Gorillaz, joined by Kara Jackson and Anoushka Shankar for a live performance of their new single "Orange County."
The episode was a showcase of both entertainment and personal insight, with each guest bringing their own flavor to the conversation. Stephen Graham, celebrated for his role in the hit series Adolescence, reflected on the unexpected impact of the show. "It’s been so surreal, we never expected it. We just caught something in the zeitgeist and its success has been unbelievable. Erin [Doherty] says, ‘it is the gift that keeps on giving.’ The awards have been wonderful, but the impact it has had on social awareness is incredible. It has achieved more than I could have ever dreamed of," Graham told Norton, as reported by the BBC.
Graham also discussed his upcoming book, Letters to Our Sons, inspired by the themes of Adolescence. "The scale of it is massive – it spans every walk of life, every subject matter, and every sort of father-son relationship. It is something I am very proud of," he shared, giving viewers a sense of the breadth and ambition behind the project. When the topic turned to his new film, Graham described The Good Boy as "really a strange little film. It’s weird, but good weird. It has a wonderful script, and I play a great character. He is bizarre and very different to anyone I normally play."
Kaley Cuoco, best known for her twelve-year run as Penny on CBS’s The Big Bang Theory, brought both humor and vulnerability to the conversation. In a moment that’s been making headlines, Cuoco revealed that her fiancé, actor Tom Pelphrey—whom she became engaged to in August 2024—had never seen an episode of the sitcom that made her a household name. "He had no idea about it when we met. The first time I met Tom’s family his mom’s partner kept calling me ‘Penny’. I didn’t say anything because I thought it was sweet, but I could see Tom looking confused, and when we got in the car he said, ‘I am so sorry, I told him your name so I’ve no idea why he called you Penny all day.’ I had to explain it was from the show. And, he still hasn’t seen it!" she recounted, drawing laughter from both the audience and her fellow guests.
Cuoco also opened up about a more personal experience: her foray into Botox treatments during the middle years of The Big Bang Theory. Speaking recently on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast with Amanda Hirsch, she confessed, "It was deep into the show, like halfway maybe. I just wanted to do a little Botox. I did my forehead and all this stuff. And I was so excited." The excitement quickly faded when she returned to set. "It was the same week there is a scene where I have to, like, really do this thing with my face [and] I could not move. I was literally doing these jokes, and nothing moved. My forehead didn’t move, and it looked like I was trying to move it." She admitted, "The fact that no one said anything, they probably were thinking it… I couldn’t believe how bad it looked. And that’s when I thought, 'whoa', like we don’t need the… let’s calm it down." Since then, Cuoco has opted to avoid Botox on her forehead, preferring treatments around her eyes and neck. "I love a little Botox," she said, but with clear boundaries.
Fans of Penny may have reason to hope for her return. In January 2026, Cuoco teased the possibility of appearing in the upcoming Big Bang Theory spin-off, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. When asked by Entertainment Tonight if she might reprise her role, she didn’t confirm—but her widened eyes and teasing smile were enough to send fans into a frenzy. Reflecting on her time as Penny, Cuoco has often credited the show with changing her life: "It changed my life, professionally, personally. What a journey. I learned so much. I met Chuck Lorre. I was a life-long lifer. Like, I don’t know. I’ll never forget my time on that show. And I do believe everything came from that."
Adrian Lester brought a taste of the stage to the studio, discussing his new adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac. "It is probably one of the most romantic stories but also very funny," Lester explained. He went on to describe the challenges of wearing a prosthetic nose—"It started off quite small but gradually we made it bigger and bigger. I can’t turn too sharply on stage as I have the constant fear it will fly off!"—and the intricacies of performing fight scenes while reciting complex poetry. "We are using real weapons, so we have to be so exact. We have done lots of rehearsal. Luckily, we have a fail-safe feature built in just in case we get too close to hurting each other."
Leo Woodall, fresh from roles in White Lotus and One Day, discussed his latest project, the age-gap romance drama Vladimir, which he described as "Yummy, quick and funny." Working with Rachel Weisz was a highlight, though her character’s habit of breaking the fourth wall presented an unusual challenge. "It was amazing, but her character breaks the fourth wall by talking directly to the camera, which on the first few takes was very odd as I had to sort of disappear. It was an interesting new challenge." Woodall also shared his nerves and excitement about improvising with Dustin Hoffman on the set of Tuner: "Working with Dustin Hoffman was surreal, and improvising with him was wild. I was a little scared to begin with but he’s such a generous actor it was fine. He is a genius and I tried to be a sponge and absorb everything." He nearly missed out on his role as Dexter in One Day due to sporting fake tattoos from a previous part. "They thought the Cowabunga one on my neck was real. I had two weeks between roles to lose weight, change from an Essex accent to Dexter’s posh voice, and remove all the tattoos, which is a lot harder than you’d think."
The night’s musical interlude came courtesy of Gorillaz, joined by Kara Jackson and Anoushka Shankar, who performed their new single "Orange County" live in the studio before joining Norton for a chat. The eclectic mix of guests and stories once again proved why The Graham Norton Show remains a staple of British television, blending humor, heart, and a touch of unpredictability.
Looking ahead, next week’s show promises another star-studded lineup, with Benicio del Toro, Jennifer Garner, Gordon Ramsay, Charli XCX, and Foo Fighters set to appear. But for now, it’s the candid stories, the laughter, and the unexpected moments from February 13 that linger, reminding viewers why Friday nights with Graham Norton are always worth the watch.