Will Arnett has told Graham Norton how his new movie Is This Thing On? was inspired by a meeting with comedian John Bishop. 

Arnett was talking to Graham Norton on his forthcoming New Year's Eve show on BBC One (spoiler alert, it's prerecorded).

Talking about the inspiration for the movie, the Arrested Development star said: “I happened to meet John Bishop, and he told me the story of how he became a standup comedian and what it did for him.  I was really taken with his story and asked if I could write a movie based on his life, which is quite a daunting thing to ask somebody.  He’s been great throughout.  

“It was inspired by his story, and some of the incredible moments are the most true.  We then built it out from there to focus on the relationship.  Some forces wanted it to be a romantic comedy, but Bradley rewrote the script and somehow blackmailed Laura into doing it.  Once he was on board, he elevated every step and made it much more dramatic.”

Revealing he did standup for the first time in comedy clubs for the role, Will says, “I have been comedy adjacent for much of my life, but I’d never done standup.  I had to stop being a comedy actor and try and approach it as someone who had never done it before.  It went against every grain in my body.”

Laura Dern, who plays his wife in the movie, which is directed by Bradley Cooper and released in the UK in January, adds: “I saw him do it several times and it was extraordinary – he threw himself into it out there so bravely.”

Talking about the success of Arrested Development, Arnett says: “I moved to New York when I was 20 and Arrested Development happened when I was 33.  I spent years struggling as an actor and I actually thought my career was over.  I had just been fired from a TV show and was doing a really awful play Off-Broadway when I got a call asking if I would read for a part in Arrested Development.  Initially I said no as I was done with TV work.  They persuaded me to go to the audition, and the role changed my life.”

The Graham Norton Show, New Year's Eve, 10.30pm, BBC One.

Pictured l-r the full Graham Norton Show line-up: Owen Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Tim Key, Laura Dern, Graham Norton, Will Arnett, Tom Hiddleston, Alison Limerick

Picture Credit: BBC/So Television/PA Media/Jas Lehal