.................................the blog nobody reads: GRAHAM NORTON SEASON WRAP - Winslet, Blanchett, Lester, Dua Lipa and Justin Timberlake [Feb 2024]

How lovely is this lass?

Last night saw the wrap of the latest season of The Graham Norton Show which I still enjoy and the line up was fascinating in Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett [a favourite actor], Adrian Lester (another favourite actor) Dua Lipa and Justin Timberlake as the guest singer

Now I have long admired Dua Lipa’s singing and ever since seeing (hearing) her on the BBC Live Lounge thought HECK! This Girl Can SING! I have noted that I am not her target audience being a crotchety old geezer but the over sexualisation of young women artists concerns me (Arianna Grandé, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Billie Eillish to a degree and Dua Lipa is not averse to strutting her stripped down stuff but I have seen visuals from some stage shows that look more like the sex shows of the sixties than pop or rock shows (I Blame Madonna!), I read something recently that described Rita Ora as the ‘former singer' (sic?! what is she now a nude fashion model? - wherefore billionaire Rihanna? Then there’s the Beyoncé phenomena that if and I say IF it is about empowering women to express themselves then all well and good but it LOOKS just like the old sexism, run by the patriarchy to tittilate and arouse - if it is not than it ought to be clearer! Otherwise we still end up deeply concerned over Jay-Zee's new wife and partner being controlled to appear almost naked at every given opportunity (it’s called abuse!) Just a concern. I just want to hear these gals SING! Despite her self effacing genuine humility [she seemed genuinely in awe of Winslet and Blanchett], she comes across as a delightful person too!

See what I mean? Blimey! Dua Lipa shows off!

It turns out she is a breathtakingly beautiful intelligent, bright as a button, young woman and can hold her own with the best. Starting her music career by returning from her native Kosovo to London at 15 on her own (sort of) and clearly impressing all those who heard her. When asked how she managed to pull that off with her parents who now seem to try to accompany her wherever she goes and her siblings too out of term time, she said “ I am kind of hard to refuse!” No doubts from me! She now organises a festival in Kosovo and has attracted headliners - Miley Cyrus no less - and to spread the word about her country!

Adrian Lester was there to advertise his appearance in the new Sally Wainwright who has gone all JK Rowling and written a fantasy piece with sprites and magic that looks genuinely fun and fab! Sally wrote 'Happy Valley' and is known for her gritty Northern dramas so this is going to be fun to see her shift gears a tad. He also can throw a mean nun chuck it seems being a 4th dan “not very good’ exponent of Tai Kwon Do! Looked like the real deal to me!

The Crates (Blanche and “Winslet" as they seem to refer to each other!?!) were there to add some fun and advertise new projects but it was Dua Lipa who took my breath away and not ONLY for the reasons you’re thinking!

Much fun all round fun!

Timberlake? As I admire him as a person/actor also but his music is not aimed at me either so . . . . . . . . . meh!?

The girls seem to talk about weeing . . . . a lot! I blame Graham!