Prince William made a surprise appearance on Friday's episode of The Graham Norton Show on BBC One, joining guests Hannah Waddingham, Cate Blanchett, Robert Irwin, and Jorja Smith. The future king's appearance was pre-recorded and has since drawn a largely positive reaction from viewers, many of whom were impressed by his sense of humour.
Viewers React to the Prince's Wit
Social media users expressed surprise at how funny the Prince of Wales was during the show. One viewer, @sunflowroceans, wrote: 'Maybe Prince William should appear more often on talk shows coz dude is actually quite funny.' Another user, Isa, said they wished William would do more talk shows so people could see 'how charismatic and funny' he is, adding that they liked how he had no problem laughing at himself.
Kayleigh Walters described the episode as one of the best in a while, while Natalie Hood summed up the general feeling: 'I didn't appreciate how witty Prince William actually is.' Not all feedback was positive, however, with some viewers like CricketCatMeow claiming he wasn't funny at all, and Ashley McLoone saying he made the episode boring.
Prince William on Celebrity Traitors
During the chat, Prince William professed his love for Celebrity Traitors, a show he has previously discussed in relation to Ross Kemp. He said: 'I love it, the family love it. Charlotte and Louis are obsessed with it. It's really good telly.' He also recalled meeting Ross Kemp after the first episode, saying: 'I saw Ross Kemp the day after the first episode, and I couldn't help but try – in the most appropriate way – to touch him to see what reaction I got from him. Turns out he was really jumpy!'
The prince is the first member of the royal family to appear on The Graham Norton Show. His appearance was intended to highlight The Earthshot Prize, an environmental award that was launched in 2021.
Career Dreams and Film Tastes
Prince William also revealed that he uses music and film to switch off, and is particularly drawn to 'deep-thinking' films, such as those by director Christopher Nolan. He said: 'I'm a big fan of everything Christopher Nolan does. His films are fantastic – The Dark Knight series is psychologically dark and deep, and I absolutely love that. He takes concepts that are completely out there and makes them incredibly entertaining.'
He also shared his childhood career aspirations, saying: 'I did want to be a policeman when I was younger; I thought I could make a good one. And then I went through a phase of wanting to be a DJ – I wasn't very good.'
The Graham Norton Show is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
