Talk show king Graham Norton cut his TV salary by €909,406 to £2.236 million (€2.57 million) last year, new reports reveal.
ITV subsidiary So Television sells The Graham Norton Show to the BBC and TV channels around the world, including Virgin Media.
Now new accounts filed by So Television Ltd at Companies House in the UK show Norton’s salary from the company has dropped by £788,530 (€909,406) from £3,025 million in 2021 to £2,236 million last year.
The £788,530 pay cut last year follows Norton’s £956,638 pay rise in 2021.
Norton’s salary, made up of presenter fees, production fees and royalties, fell sharply last year after So Television’s revenue and profits took a hit.
Television therefore relies on The Graham Norton Show for the majority of its income, with its 2022 revenues down £945,427 from £12.7m to £11.75m.
Directors say revenue fell “largely due to reduced distribution channels”.
Reports show UK revenues increased by £1 million from £9.389 million to £10.626 million, while “rest of the world” revenues fell by 66 percent from £3.3 million to £1.29 million .
The firm’s revenues are down despite producing two more hours of TV in 2022 – 31, compared to 29 in 2021 “due to the commissioning of new shows in 2022”.
The directors say: “The Graham Norton Show continues to be popular in the UK and abroad.”
The company’s pre-tax profits fell 44 percent to £1.59 million.
Norton’s television royalties are the artist’s main source of income.
However, Norton, who celebrated his 60th birthday in April, receives a separate fee for his Saturday and Sunday morning shows on Virgin Radio UK.
In December 2020, Norton left BBC Radio 2 after 10 years to host the show.
Norton’s novels are also bestsellers. share of sales in the form of royalties.
The Norton Show continues to be a favorite show for Hollywood stars and singers promoting their films and albums in the UK and Europe, although the current Hollywood actors’ strike has significantly reduced the choice of guests for the current season.
During the financial analysis period, the show featured Tom Hanks, Kate Winslet, Daniel Craig, Bono, Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen and Paul Mescal.
Norton and The Graham Norton Show producer Graham Stewart sold So Television to ITV in 2012, with ITV agreeing to pay the two £10 million up front, with a further £7 million payable based on the show’s performance until July 2016.
Norton was born in Dublin and grew up in Bandon, County Cork. He first rose to fame in 1996 as Father Noel Furlong in Father Ted, before moving to Channel 4 to host his own talk show.
Norton founded So Television Ltd with Graham Stewart in 2000.
So Television’s staff numbers increased to 25 last year, while staff costs remained at £2m.
So Television’s accumulated profits for December 2022 were £24.83 million.
The directors state that “the external environment is expected to remain uncertain and competitive in 2023, but the directors remain confident that the company is well positioned with broadcasters and commercial partners to capitalize on emerging opportunities.”