TV REVIEW

Norton offers no foil to Elton John’s absurdities

Elton John: Uncensored; Seamus Heaney and the Music of What Happens
Graham Norton failed to challenge Sir Elton John on any subject
Graham Norton failed to challenge Sir Elton John on any subject
PA

Like a candle in the wind, Elton John: Uncensored was a spectacularly ineffectual effort at illumination. Graham Norton journeyed to the megastar’s home in the south of France for what was billed as a momentous journalistic event: “The only major interview Sir Elton John is giving this year.” The glitzy exclusivity was underscored by the fact that Norton delivered his intro while driving through Nice in a golden Rolls-Royce, a gilded carriage for a would-be deluxe visit to a palace of enlightenment. Once the conversation began, however, it was obvious we were being led up the garden path. Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road; hello, publicity treadmill.

John and Norton are showbiz pals, and greeted each other with the bear hugs, double cheek-kisses and lowing endearments that