Popular Irish talk show host Graham Norton has been spotted out in Christchurch enjoying a taste of the city’s revered hospitality while he preps for the beginning of his multi-stop nationwide tour.

Yesterday evening the 61-year-old comedian sat down for a meal at modern Vietnamese restaurant, You Hanoi Me, on Victoria St.

A photo was subsequently posted to Facebook showing Norton smiling with the restaurant’s staff, with the caption: “Graham Norton in this evening.”

A source told the Herald that staff enjoyed having Norton in to dine, who was said to be a “splendid ol' fell” on the night.

The world-famous television host has touched down in Aotearoa ahead of his An Evening with Graham Norton tour, which will be the first time he performs for Kiwi audiences.

Norton kicks off the highly–anticipated tour at the Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch tonight with an additional show tomorrow. He’ll then perform two shows in Wellington and two in Auckland.

You Hanoi Me is a modern Vietnamese restaurant on Christchurch's Victoria St. Photo / You Hanoi Me

A press release described An Evening with Graham Norton as an “evening of entertainment to celebrate, reflect, and relive some of [Norton’s] biggest TV highlights and memorable moments to date”.

Christchurch businessman Jason Whitelaw opened You Hanoi Me in 2019 under his company Bar Bar Black Sheep.

The Vietnamese restaurant is located on the central city fringes in the dynamic Victoria St neighbourhood. According to its website, it offers diners a “modern twist on traditional Vietnamese”.

Menu items include cuisine staples such as pho noodles, banh mi and fried greens, which complement several larger sharing plates and appetisers.

Whitelaw spearheaded two other hospitality ventures in the same building at 123 Victoria St, opening Louis Champagne and Oyster Bar, alongside a hidden cocktail bar, Red Light District, before opening You Hanoi Me.

Louis has since closed its doors, but You Hanoi Me and the Red Light District bar remain popular venues for the area, frequently enjoyed by nearby office workers and central city locals.

Tom Rose is an Auckland-based journalist who covers breaking news, specialising in lifestyle, entertainment and travel. He joined the Herald in 2023.