The Graham Norton Show viewers were left squirming after the host struggled to recall a past exchange with Damon Albarn, in which the Blur singer questioned why he hadn’t been invited back on the BBC series.
The Blur singer, who was promoting his forthcoming tour with Gorillaz, appeared on the show on Friday (12 February), but asked why it had taken him nine years to return.
When Norton welcomed Albarn back, saying “It’s been a minute,” he told the Irish host: “Well, you just haven’t invited me back.” Norton replied: “Well, you’re here now.”
The singer then shared an alleged encounter he had with the presenter in a nightclub after recording his last appearance on the show in 2017, in which he asked him directly: “Why am I never on your show?”
Norton awkwardly didn’t remember this exchange, asking: “What? I was in a nightclub? I have no recollection of that. I must’ve been quite drunk.”
As the audience laughed, Albarn replied: “It must’ve been one of those nightclubs,” to which Norton said: “Yes, it must have. How funny. I may have blanked it from my mind out of awkwardness.”
Albarn appeared on the show with fellow celebrity guests Stephen Graham, Kaley Cuocol, Adrian Lester and Leo Woodall.
It marked the singer’s third time on the show, having first appeared in May 2025 and again in May 2017, when he performed with Gorillaz.
In 2022, Albarn, who released a comeback Blur album in 2023, was criticised by Taylor Swift after he accused her of not writing her own songs.
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When an LA Times interviewer called Swift “an excellent songwriter”, Albarn replied, “She doesn’t write her own songs.”
Journalist Mikael Wood replied: “Of course she does. Co-writes some of them.” Albarn responded: “That doesn’t count. I know what co-writing is. Co-writing is very different to writing. I’m not hating on anybody, I’m just saying there’s a big difference between a songwriter and a songwriter who co-writes. Doesn’t mean that the outcome can’t be really great.
“And some of the greatest singers – I mean, Ella Fitzgerald never wrote a song in her life. When I sing, I have to close my eyes and just be in there. I suppose I’m a traditionalist in that sense.
“A really interesting songwriter is Billie Eilish and her brother. I’m more attracted to that than to Taylor Swift. It’s just darker – less endlessly upbeat. Way more minor and odd. I think she’s exceptional.”
Swift – who is officially credited with writing or co-writing all of her music –responded to the interview on X/Twitter: @DamonAlbarn I was such a big fan of yours until I saw this. I write ALL of my own songs. Your hot take is completely false and SO damaging. You don’t have to like my songs but it’s really f***ed up to try and discredit my writing. WOW.”
Albarn apologised “unreservedly and unconditionally”, and suggested clickbait headlines had taken his words out of context.
Norton is a friend of Swift and will attend her wedding to Travis Kelce later this year. He also recently appeared in her music video for “Opoalite” alongside every celebrity who appeared on her episode of The Graham Norton Show in 2025, including Domhnall Gleeson, Cillian Murphy, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith and Lewis Capaldi.
