Top 10 Times British Celebs Caused Chaos On US Talk Shows

In 2018 comedic treasure Rowan Atkinson made an appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” to promote the third instalment of the “Johnny English” franchise. So far, so routine. But, when talk turned to Rowan’s comedic roots, he re-enacted a Mr. Beanesque routine that once had an audience at Oxford laughing for seven minutes without the use of any words. Atkinson’s effortless transition from his mild mannered self into full on Bean mode would have James McAvoy’s character in “Split” envious! Hopefully, for the “Black Adder” star’s next appearance, he’ll spend the whole interview IN the Bean persona!

Gordon’s no stranger to talk show troubles, and we might’ve included that time he predictably filled a swear jar on “Jimmy Fallon”. But, then there’s also the time he and his daughter made a manic English breakfast alongside James Corden. This really should’ve been a pretty straightforward feature - a pro-chef preparing an everyday meal. But, no. The cook-off sees Ramsay set fire to his station, his daughter call him out on burning bacon, and James serve up a plate of… well… slop. Get back to the day job, Gordon. Oh, wait.

Back when the US “X Factor” was still a thing, judges Simon Cowell and Demi Lovato popped up on an edition of “Conan” to promote the series. It didn’t take long for things to kick off between the two, as Lovato immediately went in for a dig over Cowell’s infamous, overly exposed, uh, cleavage. In response, the music mogul was prompted by the host to let the singer know how he really feels about her. Simon didn’t hold back, living up to his blunt and ruthless reputation by straight up telling Demi that she’s annoying, right to her face. Ouch.

In the mid-nineties, Hugh Grant was mired in controversy due to a particular act of infidelity, shall we say, against one Elizabeth Hurley. But, Grant didn’t shy away from his actions, confronting the whole thing on the “Tonight Show”. Leno ripped the band aid off instantly, asking Hugh “what the hell” he was thinking as his opening question. Grant listed off the excuses he could have said to explain the ordeal, but eventually admitted that he knows the difference between good and bad and accepted he did a bad thing. You can’t say he didn’t pay for his sins… literally.

There was some magic on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” when “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe popped by to show his talents know no bounds. After expressing his fondness for rap and revealing he’s capable of rapping the entirety of Blackalicious’ “Alphabet Aerobics”, Fallon couldn’t resist offering the Brit a microphone to show what he’s got. Impressively, Radcliffe pulled off the performance flawlessly, not tripping on his words even once. Forget talking to snakes, this was far more of a tongue twister. Now we’re just left wondering why Daniel hasn’t released a rap cover album.

Apparently Sharon Osbourne not only wants to be a Dame, she’s willing to go to any lengths or sink down to any depths that it takes to get it! The former “X Factor” judge revealed as much on an episode of “Conan”, going as far to say that she hinted at doing a partner swap with Prince Charles and Camilla whilst socialising with them in person. Whether her husband and rock legend Ozzy agreed to this proposition or would rather bite the head off a bat is anyone’s guess. Sharon, meanwhile, clearly prefers the head of a lizard...

Speaking of Dames, Dame Helen Mirren knows how to make an entrance, as Stephen Colbert was lucky enough to witness first hand! “The Queen” actress didn’t waste any time in creating a stir by ignoring the talk show host’s attempt at an innocent hand shake and going straight in for a kiss on the mouth. Colbert’s flustered and smitten response is clear evidence that this wasn’t a moment planned ahead of time. The audience loved it too… but probably not as much as Stephen did! British chat show hosts must be asking themselves what they’re doing wrong.

Never a stranger to controversy, Ricky Gervais was on form during a chat on “Late Night With Seth Meyers”. The host brought up one of “The Office” stars many risqué moments, this one being the time the comedian made Hitler jokes in Berlin. From then, it wasn’t long before Gervais was showing pictures of baby Hitler on his phone and offering a surprisingly thoughtful explanation to why he wouldn’t travel back in time and kill him. The hilarity continued as the comic went on to demonstrate how the image of baby Hitler sometimes pops up unprompted on his iWatch.

This now infamous interview consisted of comedian, actor, author, and activist Russell Brand swinging by “Morning Joe” on MSNBC to promote his “Messiah Complex” stand-up tour. Things escalated quickly however, as Brand was let off his leash and began to dissect the performances of the hosts, offering advice on how they could conduct their jobs better. The rational observations are treated like an alien language by the interviewers, with one even confessing that he literally can’t understand Russell. You can see where Brand felt compelled to offer some guidance! If only the comic could take over all mainstream news.

The long running “The Late Show with David Letterman” saw all sorts of chaotic moments and contentious celebrity guests over the years, but perhaps none more so than when Borat appeared. Sacha Baron Cohen was their to discuss the Borat movie and fortunately for everyone watching, decided to do it in character. The interview would arguably not even be allowed to air today, with Borat talking being the son of a rapist, his fifteen year old ex-wife – now deceased – and other such causal chatter. The man behind the character always does well to keep a straight face, but Letterman certainly couldn’t!