Ever since the likes of Terry Wogan and Michael Parkinson bestrode the world of the talk show like besuited colossi, the format has illuminated TV like no other. At heart it’s simplicity itself: two people talking. But the results can be unforgettable — in both good and bad ways. 

The producers of these programmes have now started to turn to YouTube to share show snippets, with moments like Sandra Bullock playing the piano with her Christian Louboutins on The Jonathan Ross Show alongside Tom Hanks captured for eternity and clocking up almost five million views — in May 2013 the show's series finale drew ratings of a shade under 2.6 million.

In the US hosts like Conan O’Brien, David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel and latterly Jimmy Fallon and John Oliver have enjoyed stellar numbers on YouTube with regular sketches like ‘Clueless Gamer’, ‘I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy’, ‘Mean Tweets’, ‘Lip Sync Battle’ and ‘People Who Think Good’. In the wake of that many channels are now uploading highlights daily and internet-based set-ups are clearly on the up. 

Their UK counterparts are also getting in on the act, with The Jonathan Ross Show being joined by The Graham Norton Show, Alan Carr Chatty Man, Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled and The Clare Balding Show. So if you're looking to hear Joey Barton’s French accent, play drunk golf with Justin Timberlake, discuss pubic hair with Cameron Diaz or learn to pole dance with Lindsay Lohan, then you know where to head. 

But if the prospect of shooting the breeze with a celebrity doesn’t do it for you, why not plot a course to /music or /YouTubeUK to get a taste of what else is trending on YouTube… talkative or otherwise.

Jamie Dolling, YouTube UK, recently watched "What If The Earth Stopped Spinning?"