He has received the British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance three times for the chat show So Graham Norton (1998–2002).

Because of his father's job, he and his family moved around Ireland throughout his early childhood; they lived in Tramore, then Waterford, then Kilkenny, before settling in the town of Bandon, County Cork, where he grew up.

[9] In 1981, Norton featured in an episode of RTÉ's Youngline, participating in an audience debate about underage teens attending discos.

[10] In 1983, Norton travelled to San Francisco where he lived for one year, in the "Stardance" hippie commune house,[11][12][13][14] on Fulton Street and worked as a waiter.

He was one of the early successes of Channel 5, winning an award as stand-in host of a late-night TV talk show usually presented by Jack Docherty.

[23] Also that year he was the subject of controversy in the United Kingdom when, on his Channel 4 show, he joked, "I bet Maurice Gibb's heart monitor was singing the tune of 'Stayin' Alive'", referring to the recent death of the Bee Gees singer.

Gibb's brother Robin described Norton as "scum", threatened to "rip his head off" if he saw him, and demanded an apology from him, the show's producers, and Channel 4.

[24] The Independent Television Commission investigated after complaints about this insensitivity were received and eventually Channel 4 had to make two apologies: one in the form of a caption slide before the show, another from Norton in person.

In the midst of controversy surrounding Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson's Super Bowl performance, Norton was wary of moving into the market.

in which Andrew Lloyd Webber tried to find a lead actress for his West End version of The Sound of Music.

Norton has subsequently presented the three follow-up series: Any Dream Will Do in 2007, in which a group of males competed to win the role of Joseph in the West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; I'd Do Anything in 2008, in which Lloyd Webber seeks to find the parts of Nancy and Oliver for Sir Cameron Mackintosh's production of Lionel Bart's Oliver!

On 7 July 2007, Norton presented at Live Earth and undertook a trip to Ethiopia with the Born Free Foundation to highlight the plight of the Ethiopian wolf – the rarest canid in the world.

"[27] In February 2019, it was announced that Norton would be a judge on RuPaul's Drag Race UK alongside Alan Carr in a rotating basis.

Unlike Steve Wright in the Afternoon aired from 14:00 to 17:00 on weekdays, it is well established as being a "brand", with its end of each hour style of presentations, although Norton regularly uses the standard BBC Radio 2 jingles along with jingles unique to the Saturday morning show, written and performed by the BBC Radio 2 Orchestra.

[2] Norton, along with Claudia Winkleman, hosted the first annual Eurovision Dance Contest, which was held on 1 September 2007, in London, England.

In October 2008, it was confirmed by the BBC that Norton would replace Terry Wogan as the presenter of the UK national selection of the Eurovision Song Contest, Your Country Needs You.

The winning song, It's My Time, was penned by Diane Warren and Andrew Lloyd Webber and was sung in the contest by Jade Ewen, who the public voted to represent the United Kingdom.

"[35] The Times noted his highlighting of the arrest of 30 gay rights protesters in Moscow – "heavy-handed policing has really marred what has been a fantastic Eurovision.

[36] Norton co-hosted the final of the 2023 contest in Liverpool alongside Alesha Dixon, actress Hannah Waddingham and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina, in addition to his usual commentary role which was shared with Mel Giedroyc.

In 2024, Norton returned to ITV to present a revival of Wheel of Fortune, including the celebrity version, featuring Gok Wan and Charlotte Church.

[citation needed] Norton was involved in a high-publicity advertising campaign for the UK National Lottery as an animated unicorn, the stooge to a character based on Lady Luck (played by Fay Ripley).

[citation needed] In January 2009, Norton made his West End stage debut in a revival of La Cage Aux Folles at the Playhouse Theatre.

In late 2018, Norton stood down from the role and the newspaper found a replacement as their agony aunt in Richard Madeley.

[48] In 2014, Norton criticised the decision by Irish broadcaster RTÉ to settle out of court with opponents of gay marriage who claimed they had been defamed in an edition of the Saturday Night Show.

[56] In July 2015, the Bishop of Cork, Paul Colton, hosted an evening with Norton involving 90 minutes of interview, questions, and answers with an audience of more than 400 people.

[57] On 9 October 2020, Norton announced via Twitter he had been cast as the voice of Moonwind, a spiritual sign twirler, in the Disney/Pixar animated feature Soul, starring Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey.

[70] On 10 July 2022, Norton married Scottish filmmaker Jonathan "Jono" McLeod, at Bantry House in County Cork.

[71][72][73][74] In October 2022, Norton was involved in controversy over comments he made in an interview with Mariella Frostrup at the Cheltenham Literature Festival.