Graham Norton spills on 'heated' family rows as he delves into ITV The Neighbourhood role: 'Genius telly'

Olivia Gantzer
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:00:01 +0000

Graham Norton has talked about his role on ITV's The Neighbourhood, a brand new reality entertainment format arriving this weekend.

The BAFTA-winning broadcaster will host the 11-part series, which pits families and households against one another in what amounts to a street-sized popularity contest in a show he described as often becoming "heated."

Contestants will battle for a substantial £250,000 cash prize throughout the competition.

The format transforms ordinary domestic life into an immersive gameshow experience, blending high-stakes challenges with authentic relationship dynamics.

Rather than manufactured drama, the series draws on pre-existing bonds within households to create what producers describe as a fresh take on reality television.

Mr Norton revealed that emotions frequently boiled over during filming, with the sizeable prize money and existing family dynamics creating genuine friction among participants.

"Because the prize is so big and because these are all pre-existing relationships in pre-existing households, feelings ran quite high and so there would be tension," the presenter explained.

He continued: "As the game went on, things definitely became heated," adding that he relished watching the authentic drama unfold rather than attempting to intervene.

Mr Norton emphasised that the confrontations felt real precisely because nobody was performing for cameras or seeking additional airtime.

Once disputes concluded, he saw his role as helping to calm matters and restore a positive atmosphere before the next challenge commenced.

He shared: "Once it was finished, I’d see it as my job to diffuse the situation and get back to a nice place to do the next challenge or whatever the next element of the game was going to be.

"I think those tensions are great to watch because they’re not manufactured. No one thinks, 'if I do this, I’ll get more air time.'"

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Mr Norton revealed: "There are siblings who have a row, there is a father in law and a son in law having a major disagreement, which they’ll probably have again when they’re watching it on the telly."

The elimination process proved emotionally challenging for Mr Norton, who found it difficult to observe contestants receiving For Sale signs outside their temporary homes.

"It's horrible to stand there and watch someone put a For Sale sign in front of their house," he admitted, whilst acknowledging the dramatic impact made for gripping viewing.

The presenter particularly enjoyed observing remaining households react as eliminated contestants approached with their signs, calling it "a genius bit of telly."

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Beyond the competitive elements, participants developed authentic connections with their neighbours, initially forming friendships naturally as one might when moving to a new area.

Mr Norton noted there was even some romantic chemistry between certain households, which he found endearing.

He reflected on the unexpected warmth that permeated the competition, describing the programme as "properly wholesome" despite its competitive nature.

The Neighbourhood starts Friday, April 24 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.