Graham Norton says Taylor Swift ‘made his dreams come true’ with Opalite cameo
LONDON, UK: Graham Norton is not someone who usually gets starstruck, but he couldn’t hide his excitement when Taylor Swift invited him to appear in her quirky, nineties-themed 'Opalite' music video.
During a recent Q&A, Norton shared that the moment felt surreal and oddly full-circle, especially since the idea originated on his own talk show couch during an interview years ago.
Graham Norton recalls how casual chat led to cameo
For Norton, the whole experience started as a simple email that left him confused but curious.
“I got an email saying Taylor Swift's people were interested in doing something, and I said, ‘What the hell is that going to be?’” he admitted.
What followed was a memory he now looks back on with amusement. Swift had appeared on his show alongside Cillian Murphy, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, Domhnall Gleeson and Lewis Capaldi when the idea quietly took shape.
According to Norton, it all clicked when Gleeson casually mentioned wanting to dance in one of Swift’s videos.
“I didn't notice at the time, but when you look back at the clip, you can see her little face go,” he said, adding that Swift went away and turned that moment into a full-blown concept.
“She went away and wrote up that whole mad story and asked us all to be in it. Surprise surprise, we all said yes!”
Opalite video brings together familiar faces in surreal storyline
Released in February, the 'Opalite' music video leaned fully into a strange, nostalgic vibe.
At the center of the story is Gleeson, who plays Swift’s love interest but not before both characters navigate bizarre relationships of their own. While his character is romantically tied to a cactus, Swift’s character is paired with a rock, adding to the video’s offbeat tone.
The story eventually brings them together through a “magical” spray bottle labeled Opalite.
Norton appears in the video promoting a different spray, while Murphy features in an advert for 'Opalite' itself. Capaldi plays a photographer, and Lee and Turner-Smith pop up on retro TV screens scattered throughout the video.
Looking back, Norton couldn’t help but joke about the experience.
“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.”
Graham Norton opens up about new ITV reality show
While the Swift cameo was a highlight, Norton is currently focused on his latest project, ‘The Neighbourhood’.
The show, which premieres on April 24 at 9 pm on ITV1 and ITVX, follows families living on the same street as they compete in intense and often ruthless challenges for a £250,000 prize.
Norton admitted he was completely drawn into the experience, even living near the set during filming in the Peak District for three weeks.
“That was my day. I would eat crisps, watch it all going on, and was very over caffeinated,” he shared. “There's something about listening to conversations you shouldn't be.”
The scale of the show also surprised him.
“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.”
Why show’s concept feels relatable to Graham Norton
Part of what makes ‘The Neighbourhood’ so compelling, Norton believes, is how real the dynamics feel.
“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,” he said.
While the show encourages alliances and strategy, it also taps into something universal - those unspoken tensions people often have with the people living next door.
“Of course, we all fall out with people,” Norton admitted. “But I would never make it known.”
