Irish television host and writer Graham Norton was BOTD in 1963. Born in Clondalkin, County Dublin, he studied at University College Cork before moving to London to attend the Central School of Speech and Drama. He began his professional career as a stand-up comedian, appearing on the late-night television talk shows Loose Ends and Carnal Knowledge. His big break came in 1996 playing the camp Father Noel in Irish TV sitcom Father Ted. Its success led to his hosting television chat shows So Graham Norton and V Graham Norton. He quickly became one of Britain’s most popular entertainers, known for his upbeat and playful interviewing style. He has hosted Friday night chat show The Graham Norton Show since 2007, as well as a weekend show on BBC Radio 2, and has hosted the UK telecast of the Eurovision Song Quest since 2008. In recent years, he has served as a judge on the UK version of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and has published two volumes of memoir and several comic novels. He lives in London with his husband Jonathan McLeod.