On tonight’s show (9th December) Graham welcomes Oscar-winner Kate Winslet, actor and writer Sir Lenny Henry, celebrity baker Nadiya Hussain, top comedian and actor Jack Whitehall, and singer songwriter Olly Murs. 

Kate, talking about James Cameron's epic sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, says, “I’ve seen it now and it is amazing – it’s completely extraordinary.”

Asked about being reunited with Cameron having suggested in the past that she would not work with him again, she says, “It’s nearly 27 years since Titanic and I was very young.  Looking back so much gets twisted.  Jim is an amazing man and all the good things I ever said about him were left out so it’s nice to be able to say how extraordinary he is and know people are going to listen this time. 

“How he creates these stories is just mesmerising and he establishes a working environment that is so much fun, really collaborative and super experimental.  It’s an amazing thing to be a part of and I walked away thinking, ‘I could do that again, and again, and again.’”

Revealing her ability to hold her breath for a scarcely believable seven minutes for the film’s underwater filming, she says, “It is a sport and I trained every single day for three weeks.  It was an extraordinary experience and I loved it and got really good at it.  I am so proud that I was brave enough to learn something new in my 40s.  As a woman I felt so great about it and it made me feel really powerful.”

Congratulated on her Emmy for Mare of Easttown, and asked if there will be another series, Kate says, “I have heard the rumours but no decision has been made.  It hasn’t been ruled out and there’s been no discussions at the moment.  I also think, ‘How would you would top that?”  

Lenny, talking about The Book of Legends, his new children’s book, says, “I always wanted to write a book for someone who looked like me, someone who liked the idea of adventure but didn’t see themselves in stories.”

And, on his new autobiography Rising to the Surface, he says, “It really covers the 20 years to 2000 and the rise and fall of grafting in showbiz and how when things go wrong you have to bounce back.”  

Asked if there will be a third volume of his memoirs, he says, “Yes, because there is stuff about Comic Relief and stuff about acting to talk about.  Acting properly changed my life.  And when you are talking about life changes and things that make you think in a whole different way, they are worth writing about.”

Nadiya, talking about her new book Everyday Baking, she says, “I didn’t grow up with a mother that used an oven so when I discovered baking it opened up my world.”

Revealing how important baking is to her marriage, she says, “My husband had never had a freshly baked cake before we married so when I baked one he polished the whole thing off so quickly and said, ‘If you bake cake and I run can we just do this for ever?’  18 years on I am still baking and the man is still running!”

Jack, joking about Bad Education: Reunion, which he executive produced, says, “It’s a bit like Avatar in that it is 10 years later but with a slightly smaller budget!”  

Asked about working in America he says, “I like it but I miss England if I am there for too long.  I miss the apathy and disinterest of Brits, it’s all a bit too enthusiastic in the States.  I was at a party in LA and I met a guy who had a man bun and a plunging neck line and when I asked where he lived he responded, ‘In the moment.’ I almost threw up!”

Olly performs Dancing on Cars live in the studio before joining Graham for a chat.  

Asked if he has set a date for his wedding, he says, “It will be next summer, around June or July.”  Referring to his fiancé Amelia Tank, he says, “She’ll kill me for telling you.  I have a best man but I haven’t told him yet.”  

And finally, Graham pulls the lever on more foolhardy audience members brave enough sit in the world famous red chair to tell their funniest stories. 

The Graham Norton Show, BBC One, Friday 9th December 10.55pm. Also available on BBC iPlayer.

Next week (16th December) Graham’s guests include Tom Hanks, Naomi Akie, Suranne Jones, Richard Osman, and Rina Sawayama.

Picture: So Television