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Graham Norton reveals “dream” guests… after condemning celebrity tax avoiders

This sounds like a brilliant line-up!

Graham Norton has revealed his dream line-up for The Graham Norton Show… after condemning celebrities who avoid paying tax.

The popular TV host opened up to Stuff about his ideal mix of guests for his BBC One talk show.

Graham Norton, Celebrities Arrive At The Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition Preview Party In London
Graham has a dream list of guests for his talk show (Credit: NC / SplashNews.com)

He said: “You’d have to shove Miriam Margolyes on because she’s such a fun guest and she says the unsayable.

“Tom Hanks is an amazing guest and he and Miriam would be great together. Pink would do the music, because I like her and she’s great on the couch.

“If I could have Will Smith on that same sofa, that would be an embarrassment of riches.”

Sounds like a perfect line-up to us!

Read more: Rumoured celebrity line-up for Dancing On Ice 2019

Miriam Margoyles, Arrivals to the World Premiere of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2' in London, UK
Miriam is on Graham’s dream guest list (Credit: Splash)

Meanwhile, the Irish star also condemned “short-sighted” celebrities who avoid paying tax in a new interview.

The 55-year-old television and radio personality was revealed to have been paid between £600,000 and £609,999 by the BBC when the corporation published the salaries of its on-air talent in July.

Graham, who presents a weekly show on Radio 2 as well as his TV chat show, said financial advisers offered him schemes which would help him pay less tax but he refused.

He told the Daily Mirror he does not understand “the not paying tax thing”.

Graham Norton
Graham Norton has slammed celebrities who avoid paying tax (Credit: Victoria Jones/PA)

He said: “These people who go to incredible lengths to dodge tax would be just as rich if they paid the tax – and would be living in a much nicer country.

“One where people were looked after, where crime was less, where housing was better and people were better educated.

“So the money you’ve saved on tax, you’re probably having to use to pay for barbed wire around your property. It seems totally wrong-headed.”

Read more: BBC reveals salaries of top ten earning men

Graham Norton, Guests At Kylie Minogue's 50th Birthday Party in London at the Chiltern Firehouse
Graham is one of the UK’s most popular TV hosts (Credit: Splash)

Earlier this month, it emerged that tax avoiders face being shunned for honours such as knighthoods as authorities clamp down on rewarding those with “poor” financial behaviour.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) alerted the Cabinet Office to individuals involved in controversial tax schemes, with a memorandum of understanding obtained by The Times saying “poor tax behaviour is not consistent with the award of an honour”.

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