James Norton has revealed he nearly fainted during a star-studded GQ dinner after taking his insulin but not receiving the food he expected.
The actor, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 22, manages the condition with a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and daily insulin injections.
James Norton. DFree, Shutterstock
Speaking about the incident, which happened at a GQ event in 2024, Norton explained that he had taken his insulin before the meal, expecting to eat carbohydrates with his starter.
However, the dish that arrived didn't contain the carbs he needed, leaving his blood sugar levels dropping while he was seated at the top table alongside Jude Law and Nicole Kidman.
"I was at a GQ event once and I put my insulin in, thinking that we were going to have some bread with the starter.
"The starter arrived, and it was this little bit of smoked trout with no carbs. I was on the high table and they were honoring Jude Law and Nicole Kidman and all these people, and there were speeches after the starter."
James Norton. GHolland, Shutterstock
Realising his blood sugar was continuing to fall, Norton said he knew he only had a short amount of time before becoming seriously unwell.
"So I was sitting there, having done my insulin, having eaten this trout, going, 'I've got 10 minutes before I start to faint, basically', and I couldn't interrupt the speeches because I was sitting on the high table.
"I eventually started sweating, and like you know, you get really wobbly. You eventually will faint."
James Norton. Loredana Sangiuliano, Shutterstock
The actor said he quietly left the table and explained the situation to a member of staff.
"So I walked over to the back to the lady that was standing behind my table, saying, 'I'm a diabetic. I need some food quickly'. So she gave me a chocolate bar and some juice, and I thought I was okay. Went back, sat back down."
Nicole Kidman. Shutterstock
Norton later discovered that staff backstage had been scrambling to help him while Nicole Kidman was giving her speech.
"What I didn't realise was that pandemonium had broken out backstage, and they were like, 'James Norton's about to have a hypo!' So in the middle of Nicole Kidman's speech, someone randomly brings me a steaming plate of potatoes."
The actor has previously spoken openly about living with type 1 diabetes, helping to raise awareness of the condition and the importance of carefully balancing insulin with food intake.
