Graham Norton wins bid to uncover person behind ‘distressing’ Facebook posts

Irish broadcaster Graham Norton has secured a court order in the US as he seeks to uncover the identity of the person behind a Facebook page that allegedly published a series of false and distressing claims about him.

The Cork native has been granted permission by a California court to request information from Meta that could identify the operator of a Facebook account known as The Westminster Wire.

According to court filings, the page has shared numerous posts about Norton since it was created in December 2025. 

Many of the posts reportedly featured AI-generated images and fabricated stories falsely attributed to the presenter.

The alleged content included claims that Norton had made racist, xenophobic and anti-immigrant remarks, as well as false reports about his health and personal life.

In a statement submitted to the court, Norton said the posts had caused significant distress for both him and those closest to him.

‘In particular, the publications have had a deeply upsetting impact on those close to me,’ he said.

‘My 94-year-old mother uses Facebook and has been confronted with reports of her own death.’

The presenter also revealed that friends had contacted him after seeing false claims about both his health and that of his husband.

Norton said he plans to launch legal proceedings in the High Court in England once the identity of the account holder is established.

‘The account was created and is operated anonymously,’ he said in the filing.

‘In order to bring proceedings, I must first identify those responsible.’

He added: ‘Without this information, I am unable to bring my claim or obtain the injunctive relief I urgently need to stop the ongoing harassment.’

The broadcaster said the page repeatedly used fabricated statements and AI-generated images that falsely portrayed him expressing offensive or hateful views.

‘The publications are almost entirely false and have not been authorised by me,’ he said.

‘I have not made any of the statements attributed to me on the account.’

Norton also denied claims that he had been hospitalised or donated money to causes referenced in the posts.

‘I do not hold and have never expressed the racist, xenophobic, anti-immigrant or otherwise divisive and hateful views attributed to me by the account,’ he said.

The 63-year-old stressed that his reputation is central to his career, telling the court that his standing as a broadcaster and public figure is vital to his work and professional relationships.

‘My professional reputation is of the utmost importance to my career and livelihood,’ Norton said.

‘I rely on my reputation as a broadcaster and public figure whose views are well known to the public, my employers and my commercial partners.’

* This article was published on Extra.ie.