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Miranda!
Miranda! in Reventón Superestrella in 2006, in Los Angeles
Background information
Origin	Argentina
Genres	Electropop Electronica Synthpop
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Pelo Music EMI Music
Members
Alejandro Sergi Juliana Gattás Leandro "Lolo" Fuentes Nicolás "Monoto" Grimaldi
Past members
Bruno De Vincenti

Miranda! is an Argentine electro pop band formed in 2001. Band members include Alejandro Sergi (vocals), Juliana Gattas (vocals), Lolo Fuentes (guitar), Bruno de Vincenti (programming), and since 2003, Nicolás Grimaldi (bass). The group has found success throughout Latin America as well as in the United States and Europe.

History[link]

In 2001, Alejandro Sergi teamed up with Juliana Gattas, Lolo Fuentes, and Bruno de Vincenti to form Miranda!, labeling their style as melodramatic electropop. Named after Argentinean actor Osvaldo Miranda, the group finally met the actor in December 2002 during the Buen Dia Arriba Festival in Palermo Viejo.

Their popularity grew around the Buenos Aires Underground music circuit, based on their peculiar music, style, and looks. Their unique live performances, in which the band members "acted out" the lyrics of their songs, gained them a great amount of followers, as well as a number of prizes on such publications as the Argentine version of the Rolling Stone Magazine, which named them the Revelation Band of 2002.

The same year, they released their first album, Es Mentira, which would spawn five singles: Bailarina, Imán, Tu Juego, Agua and Romix.

In 2004 Miranda! edited their second album, entitled Sin Restricciones, which would mean the mainstream breakthrough of the band, with hits like Yo Te Diré or Don, which would go on to be one of the most downloaded ringtones in the world by 2005. Other singles out of this album were Navidad, El Profe, Uno los Dos and recently Traición.

In between the albums, they released an EP containing three new tracks that were formerly the theme songs of very successful soap operas from Argentina, "Quiereme...tengo frío" ("Love me, I'm cold") from Piel Naranja , starring Arnaldo André and Marilina Ross in 1975; "Una lágrima sobre el teléfono" from Una voz en el teléfono , starring Carolina Papaleo and Raúl Taibo in 1990; and "Esa extraña dama" from the soap opera with the same name, starring Luisa Kuliok and Jorge Martínez. These songs were performed at the 2006 Martín Fierro Awards TV Show, and then released as a single cd in Argentina.

"Prisionero", the first single off their new album "El Disco de tu Corazón", became a #1 hit in their native Argentina. However, the second single "Perfecta" with Mexican singer Julieta Venegas became an even bigger hit worldwide, topping the charts in many Spanish-speaking countries.

The newest single from "El Disco de tu Corazón" is simply-called "Hola", and is the first to be released in 2009. The video from "Hola" is comic-based on a narrated chat communication between two people who end up having sex in a room.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Es Mentira (2002)

1. Bailarina
2. Horóscopo
3. Romix
4. Imán
5. Tu Juego
6. Agua
7. Ven
8. Mentira
9. Tiempo
10. Casualidad

Sin Restricciones (2004)

1. Yo Te Diré
2. Don
3. Quiero
4. Vuelve A Ti
5. El Profe
6. Otra Vez
7. Tu Gurú
8. Hoy
9. El Agente
10. Navidad
11. Traición
12. Uno Los Dos

Sin Restricciones En Vivo! (2005)

1. Otra Vez
2. Tu Gurú + Take On Me
3. Yo Te Diré
4. Hoy
5. Bailarina
6. Mentira
7. Traición
8. Navidad
9. Quiero
10. El Profe
11. Tu Juego
12. Don
13. Romix
14. Casualidad

Quereme! [EP] (2006)

1. Quereme...Tengo Frío
2. Una Lágrima Sobre El Teléfono
3. Esa Extraña Dama
4. Medley (Extendida)
5. Medley (Radio Edit)

El Disco De Tu Corazón (2007)

1. Prisionero
2. Hola
3. Perfecta (con Julieta Venegas)
4. Enamorada
5. Nada Es Igual
6. Déjame
7. Amanece Junto A Mí
8. Hasta Hoy
9. Vete De Aquí (con Fangoria)
10. No Me Celes
11. Te Atreviste Y Me Morí
12. Voces

El Templo Del Pop (2008) greatest hits album

1. Perfecta
2. Chicas new song
3. Enamorada
4. Don
5. Yo Te Diré
6. Traición
7. Bailarina
8. Prisionero
9. Imán
10. Hola
11. El Profe
12. Romix
13. Otra Vez
14. Mi Propia Vida new song
15. Uno Los Dos
16. Tu Juego
17. Vete De Aquí (con Fangoria)
18. Navidad
19. Quiéreme... Tengo Frío
20. Mirandamix (Miranda! Vs. DJ Deró) Miranda! megamix by DJ Deró

Es Imposible (2009)

1. Mentía
2. Lo que siento por ti
3. Romance juvenil
4. El showcito
5. Tu mirada
6. Tu misterioso alguien
7. Si pudiera volver
8. No lo digas
9. Entre mis brazos
10. Hola probando

Miranda Directo! (CD + DVD) (2009)

1. Prisionero
2. Entre mis brazos
3. Tu mirada
4. Hola
5. Hola probando
6. Romance juvenil
7. El showcito
8. Perfecta
9. Tu misterioso alguien
10. Lo que siento por ti
11. Yo te diré
12. Enamorada
13. El profe
14. Mentía
15. Don
16. No lo digas
17. Imán

Magistral (2011)

1. Dice Lo Que Siente
2. Ya Lo Sabia
3. A la Distancia
4. Ritmo & Decepcion
5. 10 Años Despues
6. No Pero No
7. Cada Vez Que Decimos Adios
8. Una Noche Como Hoy
9. Tucan
10. Puro Talento

Singles[link]

From Es Mentira (2002):

1. Bailarina
2. Imán
3. Romix
4. Tu Juego
5. Agua

From Sin Restricciones (2004):

1. Yo Te Diré
2. Navidad
3. Don
4. El Profe
5. Uno Los Dos
6. Traición

From Quereme (2006):

1. Quereme... Tengo Frío

From El Disco de tu Corazón (2007):

1. Prisionero
2. Hola
3. Perfecta
4. Enamorada

From El Templo del Pop (2008):

1. Chicas

From Es Imposible (2009):

1. Mentía
2. Lo que Siento por ti
3. Tu misterioso alguién

From Magistral (2011):

1. Ya Lo Sabia

External links[link]

• Official Website (Spanish)
• "Foro Rosita" Unofficial Fans Forum (Spanish)

Look up Miranda in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Miranda may refer to:

Places[link]

Australia

• Miranda, New South Wales, a community in Sutherland Shire, New South Wales
• Miranda railway station, a railway station in Sutherland Shire, New South Wales

Brazil

• Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul, a município in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul

Colombia

• Miranda, Cauca, a municipio in Cauca Department

Italy

• Miranda, Molise, a comune in the Province of Isernia

New Zealand

• Miranda, New Zealand, a community in Waikato District, Waikato

Portugal

• Miranda do Corvo, a município in Coimbra District, Centro
• Miranda do Douro, a freguesia in Bragança District, Norte
• Miranda do Douro Municipality, a município in Bragança District, Norte
• Terra de Miranda, a plateau in Bragança District, Norte

Spain

• Belmonte de Miranda, a municipio in the Principality of Asturias
• Miranda de Arga, a municipio in the Chartered Community of Navarre
• Miranda de Ebro, a municipio in the Province of Burgos

United States

• Miranda, California, an unincorporated community in Humboldt County

Venezuela

• Miranda, Venezuela, one of the 23 states which make up the country
• Francisco de Miranda, Anzoátegui, a municipio in the state of Anzoátegui
• Francisco de Miranda, Guárico, a municipio in the state of Guárico
• Francisco de Miranda, Táchira, a municipio in the state of Táchira
• Miranda, Carabobo, a municipio in the state of Carabobo
• Miranda, Falcón, a municipio in the state of Falcón
• Miranda, Mérida, a municipio in the state of Mérida
• Miranda, Trujillo, a municipio in the state of Trujillo
• Miranda, Zulia, a municipio in the state of Zulia

People[link]

• Miranda (given name)
• Miranda (surname)
• Miranda Cosgrove

Arts and entertainment[link]

• Miranda!, an Argentine band
• Miranda Silvergren, a Swedish goa and psy trance artist and producer from Stockholm
• Miranda (1948 film), a film by English director Ken Annakin
• Miranda (1985 film), a film by Italian director Tinto Brass
• Miranda (2002 film), a film by British director Marc Munden
• Miranda (novel), a novel by Polish writer Antoni Lange
• Miranda (TV series), a British television series
• Miranda (Chances Are), a character in the American film Chances Are
• Miranda (Doctor Who), a character in the British novel series Eighth Doctor Adventures
• Miranda (Firefly), a planet in the American film Serenity
• Miranda (Picnic at Hanging Rock), a character in the novel Picnic at Hanging Rock by Australian author Joan Lindsay
• Miranda (Tappi Tíkarrass album), an album by Icelandic band Tappi Tíkarrass
• Miranda (The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie), a country in the French film The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
• Miranda (The Tempest), a character in the play The Tempest by English writer William Shakespeare
• Miranda (W.I.T.C.H.), a character in the American television series W.I.T.C.H.
• Miranda Cosgrove, an American singer and actress.
• Miranda II, a spaceship in the Japanese television series Transformers: Energon
• Miranda Bailey, a character in the American television series Grey's Anatomy
• Miranda-class starship, a starship in the American film series Star Trek
• Miranda Corneille, a character in the Canadian webcomic User Friendly
• Miranda Feigelsteen, a character in the Canadian television series Mysterious Ways
• Miranda Frost, a character in the British film Die Another Day
• Miranda Goshawk, a character in the novel series Harry Potter by English author J. K. Rowling
• Miranda Hart, an English actress and comedienne.
• Miranda Hobbes, a character in the American television series Sex and the City
• Miranda Keyes, a character in the American video game series Halo
• Miranda Killgallen, a character in the American television series As Told By Ginger
• Miranda Lawson, a character in the American video game series Mass Effect
• Miranda Montgomery, a character in the American television series All My Children
• Miranda Priestly, a character in the novel The Devil Wears Prada by American author Lauren Weisberger
• Miranda Sanchez, a character in the American television series Lizzie McGuire
• Miranda Wright, a character in the American television series Bonkers

Other uses[link]

• Miranda (moon), a moon of Uranus
• Miranda (programming language), a computer programming language
• Miranda aurantia, a North American spider
• Miranda Camera Company, a Japanese camera manufacturer
• Miranda do Douro language, a Portuguese language
• Miranda herba, a Sri Lankan carnivorous plant
• Miranda House, an Indian university college
• Miranda IM, a computer software instant messaging client
• Miranda Naturalists' Trust, a New Zealand conservation organisation
• Miranda v. Arizona, an American legal case
• Miranda warning, an American police warning given to suspects about their rights, before they are interrogated

See also[link]

• Mirinda

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Miranda Katharine Hart Dyke (born 14 December 1972), known professionally as Miranda Hart,^[3] is an English actress, writer and stand-up comedienne. She writes and stars in the BBC sitcom Miranda. She also appeared in French and Saunders, the BBC television series Hyperdrive and her semi-autobiographical sitcom Miranda Hart's Joke Shop on BBC Radio 2. In 2012, she began appearing in the BBC drama Call the Midwife as "Chummy Browne".

Early life[link]

Born in Torquay, Devon, to Royal Navy officer David Hart Dyke and Diana Margaret Luce, Hart grew up in Petersfield, Hampshire. She was educated at Downe House, Berkshire^[4], an independent girls' boarding school, where she was a contemporary and friend of the sports presenter Clare Balding, who was head girl.^[5] She graduated with a 2:1 degree in political science from the University of the West of England, followed by training at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts. Despite reading Politics at University, she always wanted to be a comedienne. In 2002, she did a solo show in Edinburgh, and in 2004 she pitched a comedy show to the BBC. At her read-through for BBC executives, Jennifer Saunders was there, laughing throughout.^[6]

While appearing on Frank Skinner's Opinionated in 2010, she stated that she was from an aristocratic background, but hated saying that and did not consider herself upper-class.^[7] Hart added that her family tree can be traced back to the 12th century, and that her aunt and uncle live in a castle which they cannot afford to run.

Live performance[link]

Avoiding the normal stand-up circuit for more character-based comedy, including an appearance in the Edinburgh and touring show The Sitcom Trials, Hart has written her own theatre material for the Edinburgh Fringe. Her one-woman shows include Miranda Hart – Throbs, It's All About Me and Miranda Hart's House Party. She also performed in Alecky Blythe's 2006 play Cruising at the Bush Theatre. In 2010 she and six other TV celebrities raised over £1 million for the charity Sport Relief by cycling from John O'Groats to Land's End.^[8] Miranda also presented part of Sport Relief 2012 which ended in David Walliams dancing semi naked with her to Abba's Dancing Queen^[9].

Television and film[link]

Hart starred as "Teal" in two series of the BBC television comedy sci-fi series Hyperdrive, which ran from January 2006 to August 2007. She has also appeared in French & Saunders, My Family and Other Animals, Nighty Night, Absolutely Fabulous where she played a 'Japanese' woman called Yoko, The Vicar of Dibley, Lead Balloon, William and Mary, Smack the Pony (for which she wrote and performed in a couple of sketches and a number of video diaries), Not Going Out and Stupid! She appeared in the third series of Comic Relief does Fame Academy in 2007, and became the second contestant to be voted off the show.^[10] In 2009, she appeared in the last ever sketch from French and Saunders, also in aid of Comic Relief.

Hart appeared in a short film by Tim Plester World of Wrestling in which she played "Klondyke Kate", a wrestler billed as 'hell in boots'. The film was released in late 2007 alongside its companion shorts Blakes Junction 7 and Ant Muzak.

In 2006, she appeared with Lee Mack in an episode of Not Going Out as an acupuncturist. Her performance impressed the producers so much that they wrote a regular role for her in the next series as "Barbara", a clumsy cleaner; a part she continued to play until 2009. However, due to a busy filming schedule, the character did not return for the fourth series, aired in 2011.^[11]

In 2007 Miranda played the part of "Shelley" a Mini Cab Driver in Channel 5 Comedy Angelos which ran for 6 episodes

In 2008, she recorded the pilot episode of Miranda for BBC Two. The sitcom is based on her semi-autobiographical writing which went on to become a radio series, Miranda Hart's Joke Shop on BBC Radio 2. On 9 November 2009 Miranda, nominated "one of the top 10 forthcoming TV shows for Autumn 2009" by The Sunday Times,^[12] began transmission on BBC Two.^[13] She appeared as guest host of Have I Got News for You in October 2009, and again in December 2011. She also presented a BBC spoof programme looking back over 2009 called 2009 Unwrapped with Miranda Hart. A similar show looking back over 2010 was also broadcast in December 2010.

Hart has also appeared twice on Strictly Come Dancing:It Takes Two. She is a fan of the series Strictly Come Dancing.

Miranda Hart has appeared in the TV series Monday Monday starring Fay Ripley: Miranda played the role of "Tall Karen". She appeared in a T.V. advert for Alpen.

In the final quarter of 2009, Heather Small's back catalogue sales increased by 73% as a result of frequent references to her hit single "Proud" in Miranda'.

In 2010 she appeared in the final of Old Dears Club as snooty receptionist "Beverly Gates".

The second series of Miranda began on BBC2 in November 2010. The series ended with a viewing high of 4.1m and was recommissioned by the BBC for another two series to air in 2011 and 2012. Hart was described in the FT as "the most original and farcically hilarious female clown since Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders".^[14] In February 2011 the BBC announced that the sitcom would move to BBC One for its third series.^[15][16] The first two series of Miranda were repeated on BBC One in Summer 2011.

A Miranda mini-episode set in the world of Pineapple Dance Studios was filmed and broadcast on 18 March as part of Comic Relief. Miranda Hart also took part in a Red Nose Day edition of MasterChef, which she won. Also for Comic Relief 2011, Hart starred as a judge for the finale of Let's Dance for Comic Relief, alongside Rufus Hound and Louie Spence. She also gave a signed Miranda script to be auctioned in aid of Comic Relief. On Boxing Day 2011, she appeared in an episode of Bear Grylls' Wild Weekend. The following day, 27 December, she was a team member on Big Fat Quiz 2011, a quiz about the events of that year presented by Jimmy Carr, appearing alongside David Walliams (team blue). The other two teams being David Mitchell and Eddie Izzard (team purple) and Jonathan Ross and Jamie Oliver (team red).

Hart has appeared as a guest panelist on series two and series three of the BBC fundraising show Let's Dance for Comic Relief in 2010 and 2011. She has appeared alongside other guest judges including Louie Spence and Kelly Brook.

In 2012, Hart began to appear in the BBC One drama, Call the Midwife,^[17] playing the character of "Camilla 'Chummy' Fortescue-Cholmeley-Browne".

Awards[link]

In 2010 she won the Best Comedy Performance award from the Royal Television Society for her performance in Miranda,^[18] and was also nominated for best comedy writing.^[19] She and Patricia Hodge were both nominated for "Best Comedy Actress" awards at the Monte-Carlo TV Festival 2010.^[20]

In 2011 she won^[21] "Best Comedy Actress" and "People’s Choice Award For The King Or Queen Of Comedy" in the British Comedy Awards 2011, where Miranda also won "Best New British TV Comedy" and was nominated for "Best Sitcom".^[22]

In 2011 she was nominated for a BAFTA for Best Actress in a comedy role and her hit BBC Two sitcom Miranda was nominated for the BAFTA YouTube choice award, the only award voted for by the public.

Radio[link]

Her semi-autobiographical series Miranda Hart's Joke Shop was aired on BBC Radio 2 in 2008, and went on from there to be developed into the television series Miranda. Hart has also presented comedy specials for the network alongside Jon Holmes.^[23] In October 2011 she attracted criticism after co-hosting the Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Holmes while Chris Evans was on holiday. The website Digital Spy reported that some listeners were unhappy with the quality of the programme. The BBC issued a statement in response saying, "Miranda Hart is one of the UK's best-loved comedians and BBC Radio 2 felt it appropriate to bring her warmth to its audience for a week. Jon Holmes is a highly experienced presenter from BBC Radio 6 Music [...] BBC Radio 2 appreciates if their presentation wasn't to everyone's liking, but feels it's important to be able to bring new talent to its output and hopes its audience understands the importance of maintaining a breadth of content on the network."^[24]

Personal life and family[link]

Hart lives in Hammersmith, west London.

Hart's father is retired Royal Navy officer Captain David Hart Dyke CBE LVO RN who was commanding officer of HMS Coventry when it was sunk by the Argentinians in the 1982 Falklands conflict, as a result of which he was badly burned trying to escape the stricken warship. His later career saw him serving as Aide-de-Camp to Queen Elizabeth II, 1988-9. He retired from active naval service in 1990 with the rank of Captain (OF-5). He used his transcripts to write a book chronicling the events surrounding Coventry's sinking. The work, published in 2007, is titled Four Weeks in May: The Loss of HMS Coventry A Captain's Story.^[25] The book formed the basis for BBC2 documentary, Sea of Fire, first shown on BBC2 on 1 June 2007.^[26][27]

Her mother, Diana Margaret, is the daughter of Sir William Luce GBE KCMG (1907–1977), who was the British Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Aden, 1956-60.^[7]

Hart's uncle is The Rt Hon The Lord Luce KG GCVO DL, a former Conservative MP and Minister, later HM Governor and Commander in Chief of Gibraltar (1997–2000) and Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household, 2000-2006.

On her mother's side, her great-grandfather was Vice Admiral Sir Trevylyan Napier KCB MVO, who was the Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station (1919–1920), while her great-great-grandfather was Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, 3rd Baronet, who was the Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom (1901–1920).

Her great-uncle and the brother of her maternal grandfather was Admiral Sir David Luce GCB DSO (with Bar) OBE, who served as First Sea Lord.

Her great-great-uncle was Major-General Sir Richard Harman Luce KCMG CB, who served as Member of Parliament for Derby from 1924-1929.

Hart's patrilineal great-great-great-great-grandfather was Sir Percival Hart Dyke, 5th Baronet (1767-1846) whilst her distant cousin, the 10th and present baronet, Sir David Hart Dyke^[28] lives in Canada. Hart's 1st cousin is modern-day plant hunter Tom Hart Dyke. She has a sister, Alice Louisa Hart Dyke (born 1975).

In her early twenties, Hart had an unsuccessful trial at Queens Park Rangers Ladies. This, she revealed during Would I Lie to You.^[29]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Miranda Hart at the Internet Movie Database
• Miranda Hart's official website
• Miranda Hart on Twitter
• Miranda Hart's agent
• Miranda Hart interview recorded at BAFTA London – June 2011
• www.burkespeerage.com

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (July 2009)

Graham Norton
Norton in May 2010
Birth name	Graham William Walker
Born	(1963-04-04) 4 April 1963 (age 49) Clondalkin, Dublin, Ireland
Medium	Television, radio, stand-up
Nationality	Irish
Years active	1992–present
Genres	Observational comedy
Subject(s)	Everyday life, pop culture, current events, celebrities, sex
Notable works and roles	So Graham Norton V Graham Norton The Graham Norton Effect Graham Norton's Bigger Picture The Graham Norton Show

Graham William Walker, known by his stage name Graham Norton, (born 4 April 1963)^[1] is an Irish actor, comedian, television presenter and columnist. He is the host of comedy chat programme The Graham Norton Show on BBC One in the UK and BBC America in the US. Hot Press has described him as "the 21st century's answer to Terry Wogan", with both men sharing an Irish background and the common link of being a BBC Radio 2 presenter and the BBC television commentator of the Eurovision Song Contest.^[2] Norton has won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Entertainment Performance on five occassions.

Early life and career[link]

Norton was born in Clondalkin, a suburb of Dublin, but grew up in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland to a Protestant family. He was educated at Bandon Grammar School, in County Cork and then University College Cork but did not complete his studies.

In 1992 his stand-up comedy drag act in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as a tea-towel clad Mother Teresa of Calcutta made the press when Scottish Television's religious affairs department mistakenly thought he represented the real Mother Teresa.^[3]

His first appearances in broadcasting were in his spot as a regular comedian and panellist on the BBC Radio 4 show Loose Ends, when the show ran on Saturday mornings, in the early 1990s. His rise to fame began as one of the early successes of Channel 5, when he won an award for his performance as the stand-in host of a late-night TV talk show usually presented by Jack Docherty.^[4][5] This was followed by a comic quiz show on Channel 5 called Bring Me the Head of Light Entertainment, which was not well received as a programme, but did further enhance Norton's individual reputation as a comic and TV host. In 1996, Norton co-hosted the late-night quiz show Carnal Knowledge on ITV with Maria McErlane.

In 1996, Norton played the part of Father Noel Furlong in three episodes ("Hell", "Flight Into Terror", "The Mainland") of the Channel 4 series Father Ted. Father Noel Furlong was often seen taking charge of a small youth folk-group.

Channel 4[link]

After this early success, Norton moved to Channel 4 to host his own chat shows including So Graham Norton and V Graham Norton. As a performer who is not only openly gay,^[6] but also camp and flamboyant, it was here that Norton's act was fully honed as a cheeky, innuendo-laden joker.

In 2003, he was the subject of controversy when, on his show on Channel 4, he made a comedic reference to the recent death of Bee Gees singer Maurice Gibb. The Independent Television Commission investigated after complaints about this insensitivity were forwarded to it 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.

Also in 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy. (Though Norton is Irish, the bulk of his television career has been in the UK.)

In the summer of 2004, Norton moved across the Atlantic to start a new venture in American television. The Graham Norton Effect debuted on 24 June 2004 on Comedy Central, and was also broadcast in the UK on BBC Three. In the midst of controversy surrounding Janet Jackson's Super Bowl performance, Norton was wary of moving into the market.^[7]

BBC[link]

Norton at 2009 BAFTA awards

In 2005, Norton moved to the BBC and began hosting the Saturday evening reality TV series Strictly Dance Fever on BBC One, as well as a new comedy chat show, Graham Norton's Bigger Picture. He also read stories some nights on the BBC children's channel CBeebies as part of Bedtime Hour.

In 2006, Norton hosted the BBC One series How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? 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 3 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 Andrew Lloyd Webber seeks to find the part of Nancy and Oliver for Sir Cameron Mackintosh's production of Lionel Bart's Oliver!; and Over the Rainbow in 2010, following a similar format to find a new Dorothy for a Wizard of Oz West end Production.

Norton hosted various other shows for the BBC during this time, including When Will I Be Famous? (2007), The One and Only (2008) and Totally Saturday (2009). Since 2007, Norton has also been a regular host of The British Academy Television Awards. 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. In the same year, he was the subject of an episode of the BBC1 genealogy documentary Who Do You Think You Are?.

Norton's chat show, The Graham Norton Show, began on 22 February 2007 on BBC Two. Although in a format that he had not been involved in for 4 years, it is very similar to his previous Channel 4 shows. On 6 October 2009, the show moved to BBC One, in a new one-hour format.

In May 2010, he stood in for Chris Evans' breakfast show on BBC Radio 2. Later that month, it was confirmed that he would be replacing Jonathan Ross's Saturday morning slot on the same station.

In December 2011, the panel show Would You Rather...? with Graham Norton premiered on BBC America in the time slot immediately following The Graham Norton Show. Recorded in New York, it is one of BBC America's earliest efforts at producing original programming, and is also the first panel game the channel has shown, either of British or American origin.

In January 2012, he called on listeners to his Radio 2 show to help find his car hours after it was stolen. He called it "The Great Car Hunt" and told listeners to “Keep your eyes out for it. It was filthy by the way."

Eurovision[link]

Norton with Josh Dubovie at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010

Norton hosted the first annual Eurovision Dance Contest alongside Claudia Winkleman which was held on 1 September 2007 in London, England. The format was based on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing and the EBU's Eurovision Song Contest. Norton and Winkleman also hosted the 2008 Contest in Glasgow, Scotland.

In October 2008, it was confirmed by the BBC that Norton would replace Terry Wogan as the BBC's presenter for the UK heats of the Eurovision Song Contest, in a show to be called Your Country Needs You.

On 5 December 2008 it was announced that Norton would also take over from Wogan as the presenter of the main Eurovision Song Contest.^[8] The 54th Eurovision Song Contest was held in the Olimpiyskiy (Olympic) Stadium, Moscow on 16 May 2009.

Norton's jokes during his debut received some positive reviews from the British media. The Guardian noted his comments on Iceland's entry, which finished in second place, had "rooted around in a cupboard and found an old bridesmaid dress from 1987" and the Armenian singers, who finished in tenth place, were sporting traditional dress, "which would be true if you come from the village where Liberace is the mayor."^[9] The Times noted his highlighting of the arrest of thirty gay rights protesters in Moscow – "heavy-handed policing has really marred what has been a fantastic Eurovision."^[9]

His comment “The bad news is you’re about to watch Albania. She’s only 17 so please bear that in mind. Where was her mother? Why didn’t she step in and say no?” which was made just before Albanian singer Kejsi Tola was set to take the stage dubbed an insult by many, sent ripples of outrage through not only Albania, but also the Albanian population in Britain. He then announced that Albania should get no points and that he didn't care what anybody else thought. There was a petition circling the net calling for a formal apology from Norton. The petition, which called his comment “very rude and insulting,” had drawn over 1,000 signatures. He never responded.^[10]

In 2011, he snarked that if Jedward's entry into the competition that year won, the twins would never sleep again. In the end, they were eighth. Earlier in that year's televote, he joked "Quick, someone take a picture", when The British entry that year went temporarily in the lead early on after high votes from Russia(4), Bulgaria(12) and Italy(10). In the end, the song dropped down the 11th, earning 100 points. Very annoyed, Norton claimed 'We were better than Jedward'.

In 2012, Norton joked about the Spanish singer Pastora Soler and the economic situation of Spain. This statements unleashed many bad reviews on the internet. Norton joked about Rona Nishliu (the singer of Albania) too. He said that Rona was a singer that "she shout a lot".

Other[link]

In July 2000 Graham was one of three judges of the Miss Lesbian Beauty Contest 2000 held at The Talk of London, Drury Lane. The contest was won by 42 year old Carol Hutchins who wowed the audience with her sit-down comedy routine from a wheelchair. Graham described Carol as a "very bright, funny lady."

Graham Norton played Mr. Puckov in the 2006 American comedy spoof film Another Gay Movie. In 2007, Norton played Taylor in the romantic comedy film I Could Never Be Your Woman.

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). He has also advertised McVitie's biscuits.

In 2007, Norton featured in Girls Aloud and Sugababes' Comic Relief video for the single "Walk This Way."

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

Since 2009, Norton has been the host of the comedy game-show Most Popular on US cable television channel WE tv.^[11]

Norton currently writes an advice column in The Daily Telegraph newspaper. In October 2010, these columns were made into a book entitled Ask Graham, published by John Blake Publishing.

Personal life[link]

Norton with a dog in 2006, supporting Crusaid.

Norton has stated that he felt "out of place" growing up in Ireland; his family are Protestant yet the Republic of Ireland is overwhelmingly Catholic. Norton took part in the TV programme, Who Do You Think You Are?, to trace his ancestry. It was discovered that his family were originally planters sent over from England to take over Irish land. Some members of his family had fought for the British Monarchy during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and taken part in a massacre of Catholics in Carnew Castle. Another member of his family was later killed in battle by the United Irishmen. Norton said he was comforted to find out that his family had resided in Ireland for generations.^[12]

In 1989 while living in London, Norton was mugged, beaten and stabbed by a group of attackers on the street. He says he lost half his blood and nearly died, and he was hospitalised for two and a half weeks.^[13][14]

Norton is openly gay.^[6][15][16]

Norton owns a holiday home in Ahakista, County Cork, which is near to where he grew up, in Bandon. The house has a private beach and overlooks Dunmanus Bay.

TV appearances[link]

Main presenting credits[link]

• Carnal Knowledge (TV series, co-presenter) (1996, 27 one hour shows)
• Bring Me the Head of Light Entertainment
• So Graham Norton (1998–2002)
• V Graham Norton (2002–2003)
• NY Graham Norton (2004)
• The Graham Norton Effect (2004–2005)
• Graham Norton's Bigger Picture (2005–2006)
• Strictly Dance Fever (2005–2006)
• BBC/Andrew Lloyd Webber musical theater talent searches (2006–present)
  • How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? (2006)
  • Any Dream Will Do (2007)
  • I'd Do Anything (2008)
  • Over the Rainbow (2010)
• The Big Finish (2006–)
• When Will I Be Famous? (2007)
• The Graham Norton Show (2007–present)
• The British Academy Television Awards (2007)
• Live Earth (2007)
• Eurovision Dance Contest (2007)
• The One and Only (2008)
• Eurovision Dance Contest (2008)
• Eurovision: Your Country Needs You (2009–present)
• Eurovision Song Contest (UK commentator, 2009–present)
• Totally Saturday (2009)
• Most Popular (2009–present)
• Would You Rather...? with Graham Norton (BBC America, 2011–present)

Other television credits[link]

Radio[link]

• Just a Minute

Sitting in for Steve Wright August 2009 BBC Radio 2

Sitting in for Chris Evans May /July 2010 BBC Radio 2

On 2 October 2010, he began his weekly BBC Radio 2 Saturday show taking over from Jonathan Ross. The show airs from 10.00am-1.00pm and combines a mixture of music, chat and celebrity guests.

2011/12 Radio 2 Saturday mornings

Filmography[link]

Stand-Up videos[link]

• Live At The Roundhouse (19 November 2001)

Awards[link]

• 1999 : Gaytime Award for Gay Entertainer of the Year
• 2000 : BAFTA Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance – So Graham Norton
• 2001 : BAFTA Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance - So Graham Norton
• 2001 : RTS Television Award for Best Presenter – So Graham Norton
• 2001 : TRIC Award TV Personality of the Year
• 2002 : BAFTA Television Award for Best Entertainment Perfromance - So Graham Norton
• 2011 : BAFTA Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance – The Graham Norton Show ^[17]
• 2012 : BAFTA Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance - The Graham Norton Show

References[link]

External links[link]

• Graham Norton Radio 2 at BBC Programmes
• The Graham Norton Show at BBC Programmes
• Graham Norton at the Internet Movie Database
• Graham Norton at the British Film Institute's Screenonline

Miranda Lambert
Background information
Birth name	Miranda Leigh Lambert[1]
Born	(1983-11-10) November 10, 1983 (age 28) Longview, Texas, U.S.
Origin	Lindale, Texas, U.S.
Genres	Country
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Epic Columbia Nashville RCA Records Nashville
Associated acts	Blake Shelton Pistol Annies Loretta Lynn Sheryl Crow Frank Liddell
Website	MirandaLambert.com

Miranda Leigh Shelton (née Lambert) ^[1] (born November 10, 1983) is an American country music artist who gained fame as a finalist on the 2003 season of Nashville Star, where she finished in third place and later signed to Epic Records. Lambert made her debut with the release of "Me and Charlie Talking", the first single from her 2005 debut album Kerosene. This album, which was certified Platinum in the United States, also produced the singles "Bring Me Down", "Kerosene", and "New Strings". All four singles were Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

After Epic's Nashville division closed, Lambert was transferred to Columbia Records Nashville for her second album, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which was released in early 2007. Although the title track failed to make top 40, the next three singles ("Famous in a Small Town", "Gunpowder & Lead", and "More Like Her") were all Top 20 hits, with "Gunpowder & Lead" becoming her first Top 10 country hit in July 2008. Lambert's third album, Revolution, was released in September 2009. Five singles have been released from the album, including Lambert's two Number One hits "The House That Built Me," which spent four weeks at the top of the chart, and "Heart Like Mine". Lambert has also been honored by the Grammy Awards, the Academy of Country Music Awards, and the Country Music Association Awards.

In 2011, Lambert married fellow country singer Blake Shelton. She also released her fourth album, Four the Record, which includes the singles "Baggage Claim" and "Over You". Lambert also collaborated with Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley in the side project Pistol Annies.

Early life[link]

Miranda Leigh Shelton (née Lambert) was born November 10, 1983 in Longview, Texas and raised in Lindale, Texas. Her father, Richard Lee "Rick" Lambert, is a retired police officer who in later life became a private investigator in partnership with her mother, Beverly June Lambert (née Hughes). Miranda was taught about guns by her father at an early age and later became an avid deer hunter. Her parents took her to a Garth Brooks concert when she was nine and this started her interest in country music. Her father wrote and performed country music and she soon began singing in talent contests under his tutelage. She started her career playing in local restaurants.

At age sixteen, Lambert began appearing on the Johnny High Country Music Review in Arlington, Texas, the same show that helped launch the career of LeAnn Rimes. Lambert quickly landed a recording session in Nashville, but left the studio after she became frustrated with the "pop" sound of music. She then went back to Texas and asked her dad to teach her how to play guitar so she could write her own songs.^[2][3]

While still in high school, Lambert made her professional singing debut. She fronted the house band at the Reo Palm Isle Ballroom^[4] in Longview, Texas, a long-running venue that has showcased Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, and is where Brooks & Dunn started out as a bar room band.

Music career[link]

Lambert in 2006

This section requires expansion with: Critical reception, musical stylings, any other relevant info.

[edit] 2003–2006: Kerosene

In 2003, Lambert auditioned for the talent competition Nashville Star, eventually becoming a third-place finisher on the show. She performed in many places such as The Tap in College Station, Texas when she was 18. On September 15, 2003, she signed with Epic Records.^[5] Her debut single, "Me and Charlie Talking" (co-written by her father and Heather Little), was released in summer of 2004 as the lead-off single to her debut album. Titled Kerosene, Lambert's first album comprised twelve songs, eleven of which she co-wrote. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums charts,^[6] and eventually gained a Platinum certification by the RIAA for shipments of over one million copies,^[7] selling more than 930,000 copies up to July 2008.^[8] Overall, the album produced four Top 40 singles on the Billboard country charts, including the title track which was a Top 20 hit. Lambert also toured with Keith Urban^[9] and George Strait^[10] in early 2006. In 2007, she toured with Dierks Bentley and Toby Keith.^[11]

[edit] 2007–2008: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Lambert in 2007

Lambert's second album, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend was released on May 9, 2007. She wrote eight of the album's eleven tracks,^[12] including its four singles. Much of the track "Gunpowder & Lead," the album's third single and her highest-charting single, was written while she was taking a concealed handgun class in her home town.^[13]

In 2005, at the 40th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas, Lambert won the Cover Girl Fresh Face of Country Music Award. She was also nominated for the Country Music Association's Horizon Award in 2005; in 2007, Lambert also received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her single "Kerosene". She also won the Top New Female Vocalist award at the 2007 ACM (Academy of Country Music) Awards. At the 2008 ACM (Academy of Country Music) Awards, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend won Album of the Year.

Lambert was ranked #90 on the 100 Greatest Women (of Country Music) by Country Universe in 2008.^[14]

[edit] 2009–2011: Revolution

Lambert in April 2010

In February 2009, Miranda Lambert entered the studio to record her third album, Revolution, which was to be released on September 29, 2009. Lambert co-wrote all but four of the album's 15 tracks; the album also includes co-writes from Blake Shelton, Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum.^[15] Ahead of the album's release, an EP, titled Dead Flowers, was issued on September 8, 2009.^[16] The EP, available exclusively at Best Buy, featured the Revolution album track "Dead Flowers" and three bonus tracks previously included on limited editions of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

During this time, Lambert (along with two other singers), became the new face of Cotton Inc.’s revived “The Touch, The Feel of Cotton” campaign.^[17] She has appeared in ads to promote cotton, and the website features a free download of the full version of her song, "Fabric of My Life."^[18]

Lambert debuted her new single, "Dead Flowers", at the 44th annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 5, 2009.^[19] It was released to country radio on May 4, 2009, and was a minor Top 40 hit on the charts.

On September 24, 2009, Lambert and her band performed all the tracks on Revolution in sequence at the Ryman Auditorium, five days before its scheduled release date.^[15]

Upon the release of Revolution, Lambert's work was met with significant critical praise.^[20] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 85, based on 11 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim".^[20]

Rolling Stone magazine praised the album saying, "Lambert remains country's most refreshing act, and not just because she makes firearms seem like a matter-of-fact female accessory." Entertainment Weekly magazine said, "She's found stylistic shades of songwriters twice her age..." and that the album is "...a portrait of an artist in full possession of her powers, and the best mainstream-country album so far this year." Boston Globe commented that “Revolution’’ is the sound of Miranda Lambert coming into her own." Slant magazine also had high praises reserved for the album saying, "Miranda Lambert expands on her fascinating, fully realized artistic persona on Revolution."

The album's second single, "White Liar", was released on August 17, 2009,^[21] and debuted at #50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. In February 2010, "White Liar" became Lambert's first Top Five hit, reaching a peak of #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

In promotion of Revolution, Miranda Lambert launched a headlining tour; Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars kicked off in March 2010 and included stops in over 22 cities, as well as a performance at the Bonnaroo Music Festival.^[22]

"The House That Built Me," the album's third single, was released on March 8, 2010 and became a #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It retained this position for four weeks and it received a platinum certification from the RIAA on July 8, 2010.^[23] On February 13, 2011, Lambert won a Grammy Award in the Best Female Country Vocal Performance category for "The House That Built Me."^[24]

"Only Prettier" followed as the album's fourth single in July 2010 and its accompanying music video became somewhat viral. The music video for "Only Prettier" was directed by Trey Fanjoy and filmed in Joelton, Tennessee in June 2010,^[25] and premiered on VEVO on August 3, 2010.^[26] It features a 1950s theme and cameo appearances by fellow country artists Kellie Pickler, Laura Bell Bundy, and Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum. In the video, Lambert and her friends portray two rival cliques attending a high school sock hop.^[27] The alter-egos are shown doing things such as spiking the punch, stuffing their bras and smoking. Ultimately, the alter-egos have a bad time at the party, while Lambert, Pickler, Bundy and Scott enjoy themselves the entire night. Additionally, Lambert is also shown performing with her band on stage at the event.

On September 1, 2010, it was announced Miranda led nominations with an impressive 9 CMA awards, setting a record for the female with the most nominations in a single year by the organization. Miranda performed at the 44th Annual Country Music Association Awards on November 10, 2010.^[28] That same night she won the CMA Award for Female Vocalist of the Year and Revolution won Album of the Year.^[29] Lambert and Sheryl Crow performed "Coal Miner's Daughter" as a tribute to country legend Loretta Lynn, who also entered the stage to join them and finished the song with Crow and Lambert as backup. Later that night, Lynn presented the Female Vocalist of the Year CMA award to Lambert.

In December 2010, "Only Prettier", eventually reached a peak of number 12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, giving Lambert her seventh Top 20 hit. "Heart Like Mine" was released in January 2011 as the fifth and final single from Revolution. It became Lambert's second Number One hit on the country charts for the chart dated May 28, 2011.

[edit] 2011–present: Four the Record and Pistol Annies

On April 4, 2011 during the taping of the Academy of Country Music's 'Girls' Night Out' television special in Las Vegas, Lambert debuted her new project, girl group Pistol Annies. The group consists of Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley. They released their single, "Hell on Heels," in May 2011,^[30] and released their debut album, Hell on Heels, on August 23, 2011, which debuted at #1 on Billboard's country chart.

Lambert announced in July 2011 that her fourth studio album, Four the Record, would be released on November 1, 2011.^[31] A month later, Sony Music Nashville announced that Lambert and labelmate Josh Thompson would transfer to RCA Nashville as part of a corporate restructuring.^[32]

Lambert also recorded a song for The Hunger Games soundtrack (The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond), called "Run Daddy Run" featuring The Pistol Annies. The soundtrack was released on March 20, 2012.

Acting debut[link]

Miranda Lambert began her acting debut on NBC's long-running legal drama, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in an episode titled "Father's Shadow", which originally aired on February 8, 2012. Lambert portrayed an actress named Lacey Ford, who falls under the spell of a nefarious producer (played by Michael McKean) and later claims to have been sexually assaulted by the reality show producer. "I had to really pull from my gut on this whole role I was playing because I'm a very strong, confident person," the country star says, noting that she was portraying "a more subdued, naïve character" than herself. "I really had to really transform my personality, which I wasn't sure I could do until I got on the set and sort of just tried to put myself in her shoes." She went on to add, "This was really nerve-racking all around, but also exciting because I've never acted before," she says. "And then playing an actress trying to get a role, it was like an audition within an audition. It was sort of my audition for myself to see if I could even act at all."^[33][34] Lambert told CMT News, "I have all of the [episodes] TiVo’ed. I watch the marathons. I love them. And I never wanted to act. I still don’t. I don’t want to be an actress. I just wanted to be on that show mainly so I could be a groupie [for their autographs]."^[35]

Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly praised Lambert in her debut role on SVU; "Lambert quickly communicated a convincing air of sodden despair and desperation. The script’s idea, an all too believable one, was to have Lacey be so desperate to become famous as a reality-TV star, she declined a rape kit test. "If he goes to prison," she said of McKean’s creep, "What happens to the show? I really want this part." Lambert really made you feel Lacey’s addled yearning. I don’t know, Miranda — I wouldn’t rule out that acting career so quickly..."^[36]

Personal life[link]

In 2006, Lambert began dating fellow country singer Blake Shelton.^[37] Lambert sang background vocals on Shelton's 2008 country cover of Michael Bublé's song "Home".^[38] The two recorded and co-wrote duet "Bare Skin Rug," for his studio album Startin' Fires released later in 2008. Shelton also co-wrote three songs on Revolution, and provided background vocals on "Maintain the Pain." On May 9, 2010, Shelton proposed to Lambert, after seeking (and receiving) her father's blessing and they became engaged.^[39][40] The two married on May 14, 2011 at the Don Strange Ranch in Boerne, Texas.^[40] Wearing her mother's wedding dress, Lambert walked down the aisle and exchanged vows with Shelton in front of 550 family members and friends, including fellow celebrities Reba McEntire, Kelly Clarkson, Cee Lo Green, Martina McBride, Dierks Bentley, Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum, Trace Adkins and the Bellamy Brothers. After the ceremony, Lambert expressed her excitement saying, "I'm married to my best friend! Looking forward to a lifetime of laughter."^[41] Lambert and Shelton live in Tishomingo, a small town in Oklahoma near Texoma.

Discography[link]

Albums

• Miranda Lambert (2001)
• Kerosene (2005)
• Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2007)
• Revolution (2009)
• Four the Record (2011)

Awards[link]