Celebrity Alexander Skarsgård Miriam Margolyes

Miriam Margolyes asked Alexander Skarsgård how he prepared for his gay BDSM film Pillion and it’s the funniest Graham Norton exchange of the year

John Plunkett. Updated December 8th, 2025

It’s always an event when the great Miriam Margolyes turns up on the sofa of the Graham Norton Show, and it turns out it’s even better when sitting alongside her is the brilliant Alexander Skarsgård.

The actor was in town to talk about his new gay BDSM drama Pillion, in which he plays Ray, a dominant leather biker opposite actor Harry Melling, with whom he shares several intimate kink scenes.

And Margolyes was especially keen to know how he prepared for the role, an exchange which went viral for reasons which will become obvious.

The ’20 years’ bit is a reference to Skarsgård once nearly renting a room in Margolyes’ American home two decades ago.

And here are just a few of the many things people said about it.

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And if that’s put you in the mood for a little bit more context …

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