Graham Norton opens up about living through the Aids epidemic in ‘frightening’ San Francisco as he recalls the death of a ‘very good friend’

Graham Norton has opened up about living through the Aids epidemic, which saw the ‘big loss’ of a close friend.

The BBC presenter, 61, revealed that he arrived in San Francisco, California, just after the city decided to close all the ‘saunas and sex clubs’ in early 1980s.

Talking to Jack Guinness on the Queerphoria podcast, he shared: ‘The fear of Aids had sort of taken over San Francisco.

‘So for me, that was a much more frightening place (than London) oddly. And then when I came to London, it was only starting to appear.’

The Irish chat show host recalled how there be signs  that said ‘don’t sleep with someone with an American accent’ in a London gay club.

The BBC presenter, 61, revealed that he arrived in San Francisco, California , just after the city decided to close all the ‘saunas and sex clubs’ in early 1980s 

He also recalled ‘people would just vanish’ from his social circle during the outbreak, but the disappearances really hit closer to home when he lost a ‘very good friend’.

‘I remember mutual friends sort of sitting me down and telling me Sid was sick,’ Graham said. 

‘He was the big loss for me and for our little circle, he was the one who really made you think “oh my god.

‘And it all came back to us when we got into Covid, that thing of that you’ve got to take responsibility of yourself and in doing that, you take responsibility for other people.’ 

He continued: ‘No matter how accepting parents are and how much they love you and how much they don’t care that you’re gay and they support you in all your gay relationships, they are being robbed.

‘As parents they had an expectation that they one day might dance at your wedding.

‘Obviously, it’s great for us, we get to get married. But it’s great for all the people who love you, that they get to share in that stuff that for decades they believed could never happen.’

Graham married Scottish filmmaker Jonathan McLeod in July 2022 in his hometown of West Cork, Ireland.

The BBC presenter, 61, married Scottish filmmaker Jonathan McLeod in July 2022 in his hometown of West Cork, Ireland (seen in NYC in May 2024) 

Jono is a moviemaker, who has been recognised by BAFTA Scotland for his work (pictured with Lulu and Alan Cummings in 2022 at the My Old School premiere)

He announced the news of their marriage the following year, which took his fans by surprise due to the private nature of their relationship.

Graham and Jono tied the knot in Bantry House in Ireland having opted for an Irish wedding to accommodate the former’s mother Rhoda.

The lavish do was held in his native west Cork with 120 guests in attendance with a rumoured performance from music icon Lulu while drag queen Panti Bliss DJed.

The TV star later told The Guardian about the day as he joked that ’till death do us part’ was ‘more achievable’ at the age of 60.

He said: ‘I had a joke in my speech: the vows are much more manageable. ‘Till death do us part’ seems more achievable at our age.

‘If you get married at 23, that’s a big ask. We only have to put up with each other for a couple of decades. And then I’ll be out of here.’