Graham bumped into local addiction recovery coach Adrian

Graham Norton with Adrian and Sam(Image: Facebook: Recovery Coach)

We can all find ourselves needing to pop down to the supermarket come the weekend – even if you’re one of Cork’s biggest stars.

And while picking up essentials from Supervalu in Bandon this afternoon, BBC presenter, actor and comedian Graham Norton took the time to chat with locals Adrian Linehan and Sam, who were bag-packing on the tills. Like Graham, Adrian is a well-known face around the West Cork town, doing important work as an addiction recovery coach.

Adrian told CorkBeo that even Graham recognises him from being out and about in Bandon. For several years, Graham has enjoyed broadcasting his weekly UK national radio programme from C103’s studios in Bandon, the town where the modern king of chat grew up.

Despite making it big in the UK, Graham never left West Cork behind. Like fellow Munster stars Cillian Murphy, Roy Keane and Jessie Buckley, Norton makes frequent visits back to the southwest corner of Ireland – often finding time to relax with a pint from time to time at his local pub in scenic Ahakista.

Graham pausing for a snap at the till(Image: Facebook: Recovery Coach)

The chance meeting was a nice end to what has been a serious and busy week for Adrian and his team at Recovery Coach. He told CorkBeo that he has only just returned from a “rescue mission” to mainland Europe, where he helped somebody suffering with their addiction.

Adrian has also spent time in the last week helping vulnerable people in Dublin and Wicklow – all part of the job for a crew that is always looking for help with funds. You can donate to the Recovery Coach services here.

Adrian and his partner Sam recently found themselves on the receiving end of an outpouring of support, after a faulty plug sparked a blaze at their home. In October, Adrian and his family were getting settled in for the evening when a faulty plug blew in their kitchen, engulfing their Cork city home in smoke and flames. Fire services rushed to the scene within ten minutes of the blaze starting, but the kitchen was completely destroyed, with severe smoke damage to the rest of the house.