Graham Norton Reveals Taylor Swift Made His Dream Come True in Opalite Video
Graham Norton has disclosed that he told pop superstar Taylor Swift she 'made his dreams come true' by inviting him to feature in her nineties-themed music video for Opalite. The celebrated presenter, aged 63, explained that the singer, 36, conceived the idea while seated on his iconic red sofa during a chat show interview, alongside guests Cillian Murphy, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, Domhnall Gleeson, and Lewis Capaldi.
A Dream Fulfilled in Later Years
Graham shared: 'I said to Taylor at the time, often in your 60s you begin to give up on your dream of appearing in a major pop video, but she made it happen for me… So, all in all, a really great experience.' He added that he received an email from Taylor Swift's team expressing interest in a collaboration, which left him curious about the details. Reflecting on the chat show episode, he noted: 'Taylor had been on the show, and there were great vibes, and she literally got the idea when Domhnall Gleeson said he would like to dance in a Taylor Swift video.'
Graham continued: 'I didn't notice at the time, but when you look back at the clip, you can see her little face go. She went away and wrote up that whole mad story and asked us all to be in it. Surprise surprise, we all said yes!' The video, released in February, stars Domhnall Gleeson, 42, as the love interest for Taylor's character, with a surreal plot involving relationships with a cactus and a rock, culminating in a meeting facilitated by a 'magical' spray bottle labelled Opalite.
Star-Studded Cast and Roles
In the video, Graham appears in a scene promoting another spray product, while Cillian Murphy, 49, features in an advertisement for Opalite. Lewis Capaldi, 29, takes on the role of a photographer, and actresses Greta Lee, 42, and Jodie Turner-Smith, 39, are depicted on retro television screens. This revelation came during a Q&A session for Graham's new ITV reality series, The Neighbourhood.
Behind the Scenes of The Neighbourhood
The Neighbourhood involves families residing on a real street competing in intense, strategic challenges for a £250,000 prize. Contestants may adopt ruthless tactics or form alliances to eliminate others without becoming unpopular themselves. Graham, renowned for his long-running talk show and high-profile interviews, admitted he couldn't resist hosting this series, marking one of his first major projects post-BBC.
He detailed his commitment to the show, staying in the Peak District for three weeks during filming last year. Graham lived in a temporary home near the set, with production setting up televisions for round-the-clock monitoring of contestants. 'That was my day. I would eat crisps, watch it all going on, and was very over caffeinated. There's something about listening to conversations you shouldn't be,' he remarked.
Graham will be central to the drama, overseeing the cast via a WhatsApp group chat. He explained: 'If things were kicking off, I was very much in the background watching it on telly, letting it play out. The closest thing to consoling is I would say goodbye kindly.' Describing the impressive set, he added: 'It's a real neighbourhood. There are almost 200 cameras. I've never worked on anything of this size or scale before because they are filmed 24/7. It felt like being in a movie. The eliminations are brutal. It gets quite heightened and big.'
Personal Reflections on Neighbourly Dynamics
When questioned about his own experiences with neighbours and potential conflicts, Graham responded: 'Yes of course, but not that they know. I would quietly seethe about neighbours. It is that weird, forced relationship. You don't pick your neighbours; you can't choose them. Whoever moves in, moves in. You've got to find a way to get on with them. But equally, we all fall out with people, but I would never make it known.' The Neighbourhood premieres on Friday, April 24 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
