Graham Norton has warned that Twitter could become a "no go area" due to vile trolls.
Graham Norton
The 58-year-old star has opened up on social media and insisted it has given people "a weird way to shout at the television" without the negativity being kept private.
Speaking to Saga Magazine, he said: "I don't think we’re any crueller or nicer than we’ve ever been. I just think that social media has given us a weird way to shout at the television so that the person on the television hears you. And that can't be good for anyone.
"Ultimately Twitter in particular has to do something, because it's like a neighbourhood. If it's rough and dangerous, people move out and it becomes a no-go area.
"It doesn't matter what you say, you could tweet ‘Morning, what a lovely day’ - and people will tweet back, ‘Oh, that's easy for you to say.’ "
The talk show host also revealed how his role as a judge on 'RuPaul's Drag Race UK' has made him realise how lucky he's been to rise to fame before social media.
He explained: "The drag fans are really lovely. But I am aware there is this toxic cabal - and if they don't like one of the drag queens, they go for them in a horrible way.
"If you’re in bed at night reading horrible comments about yourself, who knows what damage that does to you?
"I feel for young people who think they have to engage on those platforms."
Meanwhile, Graham opened up on his own on-screen persona and described it as a "turbo charged version" of the real him.
He added: "That's an amped-up version of me, because I feel I ought to make an effort on telly. If I was like that all the time, it would be quite annoying.
"It's very hard to sustain if it's nothing like you. Years ago I remember Dolly Parton telling me that. She said, ‘Pick a persona that’s pretty close to you, otherwise life becomes difficult’. So mine is basically me, but turbo-charged."
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