On the first show of the new series (27th September), Graham welcomes music superstar and actor Lady Gaga, Hollywood great Demi Moore, Oscar-nominated star Colin Farrell, actor and writer Richard Ayoade, and Musicians Jack Savoretti and Miles Kane.

Lady Gaga, talking about her recent engagement, say, “He proposed on April 1st, and I thought he was joking.  Then when we went to the Olympics, we were filmed saying hello to the Prime Minister and I was caught on camera saying, ‘This is my fiancé.’ I had wanted to keep it a secret!”

Asked about playing Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie à Deux, she says, “I tried to root her in reality and create Arthur’s love match.”  And of the film itself, she says, “It breaks genre in many ways – it’s funny, it’s a drama, there’s dance, there’s music, and everything conspires to make this unique and special film.”

Talking about recording all the music live, she says, “Joaquin (Phoenix) did not like it at first, which was hard, but he did it and was phenomenal.  It was really fun and interesting to do and watching it back it may be the most vulnerable singing I have ever done.”

Talking about her new album Harlequin, a companion piece to the film, she says, “It is all original production but inspired by the character.  She cannot be defined, and the songs reflect that.“

Demi makes her first appearance on the show, as does her little dog Pilaf, who is an instant hit with Lady Gaga.

Talking about her critically acclaimed body-horror movie The Substance, she says, “It is almost impossible to fully describe because it is dealing with some serious subject matters. The best way I can sum it up is that it is like The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Death Becomes Her meets a Jane Fonda workout video.”

Asked if it was liberating not to worry about what she looked like for the role she says, “I was very much pushed out of my comfort zone, but it was great to show up and be allowed to look bad!”  

Reminiscing about being nude on the cover of Vanity Fair when she was seven months pregnant with daughter Scout, she says, “It really was taken just for me but then I got the call to say they would like to use it.  I said yes, never thinking it would have the impact it did.”

Colin, congratulated on the success of The Penguin, in which he plays the title role, says, “It is a huge relief now that it is out and people think it is alright.  If you are shallow and insecure like me, you are expecting a slap in the face so a rub on the back is definitely preferable!”

Asked about wearing the incredible make up and prosthetics for the role, he says, “In the end I was a bit miserable and angry.  I remembered how much Jim Carrey hated The Grinch makeup and whilst I didn’t get to that level, I did struggle especially as the subject matter was so dark.”

Richard, talking about his hilarious new book The Unfinished Harauld Hughes, says, “It is a mock documentary about a ridiculous character.  I always wanted to write a completely fictional world.”  

Revealing he has also written the fictitious writer’s entire back catalogue, he says, “I needed to find out who he was.”

Colin and Richard perform Broken Down, a poem by Harauld Hughes.

Jack Savoretti and Miles Kane perform Bada Bing, Bada Boom live in the studio before Jack joins Graham for a chat.

Asked why he has written an all-Italian album, he says, “I had to do it rather than choosing to do it.  My father who was Italian passed away two years ago and it was the first time I had experienced grief.  Physically, I felt entirely numb and Italian music was the only thing I could listen to and that moved me.”

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

The Graham Norton Show, BBC One, Friday 27th September 10.40pm. Also available on BBC iPlayer.

Next week (4th October) Graham’s guests include Hugh Grant, Sebastian Stan, Greg Davies, Neneh Cherry, and Perrie.