Graham Norton said an emotional goodbye to his Virgin Radio listeners and thanked them for ‘sharing their lives’ as he signed off on his last show.
The Irish presenter, 60, kicked off his last weekend show, saying: ‘Here we go, one last gallop around the paddock.’
Norton made the shock announcement just yesterday on his Saturday morning show, saying he wanted to have his ‘weekends back’ after 13 years of presenting.
The chat-show host, who joined the station in 2021 following a decade on BBC Radio 2, confirmed he would still be ‘popping up on the station from time to time’ after his weekend role comes to an end.
Norton has hosted weekend shows for 13 years as he joined Virgin Radio in 2021 following a decade on BBC Radio.
Graham Norton has kicked off his last weekend show on Virgin Radio, saying: ‘Here we go, one last gallop around the paddock’ (posted to his Instagram on Sunday)
At the start off his Sunday show, he shared a selfie of him in the Virgin Radio presenting chair to Instagram, writing: ‘Here we go! One last spin!!’
The Irish chat-show host, who joined the station in 2021 following a decade on BBC Radio 2, confirmed he would still be ‘popping up on the station from time to time’
Closing out his last Sunday show on the station, he told his listeners: ‘My final thank you has to be to you, to you for listening and sharing your lives with us.
‘We’ve loved hearing your messages and finding out what you’ve been up to, and what you’ve liked, what you haven’t liked, what’s made you happy, what’s made you sad over those years.
‘It has been such a privilege to sit here and share your weekends with you for the last three years and two months.’
He also thanked presenter Chris Evans for ‘creating this opportunity’ for him as Norton followed in the footsteps of Evans by moving from Radio 2 to Virgin Radio.
He said: ‘I came in here about three-and-a-half years ago and Chris was all gung ho that I come here and look, it happened.’
He thanked Virgin bosses and the team for only creating ‘good items’ during his tenure at the station.
Norton reflected: ‘It is a really lovely place to work here at the top of the tower.
‘They’ve created such a nice atmosphere and I’ve only had good times here.’
Norton, 60, made the shock announcement just yesterday on his Saturday morning show, saying he wanted to have his ‘weekends back’ after 13 years of presenting
Norton closed the show with the first song he ever played on Virgin airwaves, Madonna’s Hung Up.
He concluded: ‘Goodbye again, see you soon … Thank you very much for your company this weekend. I hope you enjoyed the shows.’
Three hours earlier, he told listeners: ‘Well, here we go, one last gallop around the paddock.
‘Many thanks to Amy for breakfast. I’m Graham Norton and I will be here till 12.30pm, I promise you that.’
He said he was going to ‘kick off’ the show with some Pet Shop Boys music before launching into their hit Always On My Mind.
Virgin Radio presenter Amy Voce, whose show airs before Norton’s, said she is ‘gutted’ he is leaving but feels he deserves his weekends back as he has ‘put in a shift’.
Norton read out a number of messages from listeners who said they would miss him, with one admitting they were ‘distraught’ but hoped he enjoys the lie-ins, to which he responded: ‘I will, getting out of bed this morning was so lovely, thinking ‘I won’t be doing this next week’.’
His last show will include regular segments including Bake Off star Martha Collison cooking up a storm, with the recipe this week being Norton’s favourite – braised tofu udon noodles.
His long-standing presenting partner Maria McErlane will also join him for another edition of Graham’s Guide, which sees the pair try to help listeners find a solution to their problems.
The final show will also feature chats with actor Callum Scott Howells, who stars in new BBC drama The Way, and actress Laura Donnelly, who will feature in the West End play The Hills Of California.
Norton kicked off the show with a number of upbeat tracks including Cher’s Believe and Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start The Fire.
Before launching into Dua Lipa’s new single Houdini, he said: ‘This lady was on my chat show on Friday night and I was so impressed with her, she’s so effortlessly charming, but clearly bright and has a vision and has a determination, and she deserves all the success she is enjoying.’
Announcing the news of his departure live on Saturday’s show, Graham said: The show isn’t quite the normal show today because I have a bit of an announcement to make. I’m kind of off! I’m leaving weekends here at Virgin Radio’
Virgin Radio revealed Angela Scanlon will step in for the next few weeks and told listeners to ‘get ready for an exciting announcement’
At the start off his Sunday show, he shared a selfie of him in the Virgin Radio presenting chair to Instagram, writing: ‘Here we go! One last spin!!
‘Thanks to everyone @virginradiouk and everyone who has listened along the way!!! Three hours to go – must not swear!!!’
During his show on Saturday morning, Norton explained his decision to leave, saying: ‘I’ve worked weekends between here and the old place for 13 years, and my life has changed a bit, so I just want my weekends back.’
He confirmed fellow Irish presenter Angela Scanlon, who competed on Strictly Come Dancing last year, will fill in his 9.30am to 12.30pm slot for the next few weeks before ‘various announcements’ on who will take over the slot permanently.
Scanlon was among those to respond to the news, commenting ‘miss you already’ on Norton’s joint Instagram post with Virgin Radio.
Norton joined Radio 2 in 2010 on the 10am to 1pm Saturday show, taking over from Jonathan Ross.
He moved to Virgin Radio in 2021, with his BBC slot going to Claudia Winkleman. The Strictly Come Dancing and Traitors host is due to leave that show in March after saying she wanted to spend more time with her growing children.
Norton also hosts an eponymous Friday-night chat show on BBC One and is central to the broadcaster’s Eurovision coverage.