2 days ago
James Norton reveals his health condition sparked 'pandemonium' at black-tie bash with Nicole Kidman and Jude Law
James Norton has revealed his diabetes caused 'pandemonium' at a star-studded event when his blood levels plummeted to a dangerously low level.
The Happy Valley and McMafia star, 39, said the incident took place at the most recent GQ Men of the Year Awards in November of last year during a speech made by Jude Law.
James had dosed himself with insulin ahead of what he expected to be a carbohydrate-heavy meal.
Insulin helps the body absorb glucose from food - but if a diabetic takes it without eating enough, their blood sugar can crash to dangerous levels.
However to James' dismay, he was served what he describes as a 'fashion dinner': a low-carb starter - smoked trout with no bread - followed by a long wait before the main.
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As speeches began between courses, his blood sugar went through the floor.
'I was dripping with sweat,' James said. 'I am on the high table sitting opposite Nicole Kidman and there are cameras everywhere: if I stand up, it's really rude.'
Speaking on the Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster podcast, the Bafta winner confessed he was so worried he was about to pass out that he quietly rushed over to a waiter. 'I said, "I'm diabetic. You need to help me. I need some orange juice really quickly, please."
'That caused pandemonium to break loose. I was looking really ill at this point.'
First came the juice, then a Pret chocolate bar. Finally - and most dramatically - a bowl of steaming potatoes was rushed to his table in the middle of film star Jude Law's speech.
'Someone backstage had cooked me a bowl of potatoes. Everyone down the table is going, 'Why are you…?' he said. 'I just looked like a potato-loving glutton. In the middle of the speech as well!'
He added of the incident, which took place last November, 'It's fraught when you're eating out. You can't time the meal exactly.'
James, who is in the running to play the next 007, has lived with Type 1 diabetes since he was 22 and said that such moments are not uncommon.
He now uses a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) - similar to the one seen on Kate Moss' diabetic daughter, Lila, when she's strutting down the catwalk - which tracks blood sugar levels and sends real-time alerts to his phone.
Before using CGM, he would experience extreme overnight 'hypos' - aka hypoglycemia, a state of dangerously low blood sugar - that would wake him in a state of panic and confusion.
'[I'd] wake up in a sweaty mess, discombobulated, disoriented, scared,' he said. 'If you're with a partner, it's quite scary for them because often hypos are serious things. You lose your mind a bit,' he added.
The monitoring technology has been transformative. James said: 'Now, way before that happens, we get a beep, which wakes us up. Since then, my glucose is just more controlled. I sleep so much better.'
James now wears Dexcom CGM, which he says has not only improved his sleep and reduced anxiety but also given him greater freedom and stability.
'You cannot underestimate how much difference Dexcom gives you in your life. It's huge. It gives you power. It gives you freedom from diabetes – which is kinda key,' the 39-year-old revealed.
James however isn't the only one in his family who relies on the device. 'My sister and my mum are all on Dexcom. Can you imagine at the kitchen table? When it goes off, we're like, "Who is it?' We all grab our phones."'
Despite the visible sensor, Norton said it doesn't interfere with his lifestyle or physical activities.
'There's a misconception that your life is in some way limited – things like swimming or running. But it doesn't hurt at all. I forget about it all the time. I generally wear mine on my stomach.'
The Bafta-winning actor - who split from his fiancé of six years actor Imogen Potts in 2024 - was diagnosed with the condition after he began experiencing symptoms such as 'losing weight, urinating more often and feeling very tired'.
Type 1 diabetes is a life-long autoimmune disease affects some 300,000 people in the UK and is on the rise.
Unlike type 2 diabetes, which is linked to lifestyle habits like poor diet and lack of exercise, type 1 is thought to be genetic.
Norton has however since referred to the illness as his 'mini-superpower', with it giving him 'extraordinary sympathy' for 'anyone who has something which makes them a little bit different'.
James has long been involved in raising awareness surrounding the condition, he was for instance involved in several educational events led by the NHS on diabetes technology.
The actor's next starring role is set to be in the BBC drama King & Conqueror, which is likely to release at some point this year.
