If you could have one of Ireland’s top celebrities drive you around for the day, who would you choose? According to a new survey from Aviva Insurance Ireland DAC (Aviva), Graham Norton tops the list as the nation’s favourite, with Liam Neeson coming second, and Roy Keane third. The nationwide survey of over 1,000 respondents1, found that the west Cork much-loved broadcaster, was the top pick for the imaginary role amongst both men and women.
Graham Norton faced off some stiff competition for this most coveted and prestigious win, with Katie Taylor, Saoirse Ronan, and Jonathan Sexton all in the mix, to name just a few. Aviva is uncertain whether Liam Neeson will take umbrage to coming in at second place, although they do point to the fact that the Antrim born super star does have the perfect chauffeur patter already perfected – “I will look for you, I will find you, and I will …” perhaps best to leave out that last bit!
We are all used to celebrities being chauffeured around in fancy cars, but can you imagine if you could swap places and have one of Ireland’s leading lights drive you around for the day? One can only imagine that being driven around by Graham Norton would be a lot of fun, while you might think if Liam Neeson was driving the car you could end up in a car chase! Everyone’s favourite (or not) Leeside soccer star came third – and you might learn a lot about football when imagining being driven around by the most vocal of all pundits – Roy Keane!
Billy Shannon, Aviva
Highlights from the Aviva Celebrity Drive Survey include:
- 18–24-year-olds and respondents from Dublin were most likely to choose Graham Norton
- Male respondent’s top three celeb drivers were Graham Norton, Roy Keane, and Liam Neeson
- More women looked north of the border however, with Liam Neeson coming in at number two and Belfast star Jamie Dornan as the third most popular
- Liam Neeson was more favoured amongst women aged 45-54, with 1 in 5 saying they would choose him
- More men (18%) than women (8%) would like Roy Keane to drive them around, and unsurprisingly, he is more favoured by those in Munster
- Six times more women than men would choose Fifty Shades of Grey actor Jamie Dornan as their driver
“When it comes to men and women, sports prowess wins out over acting talent for men – with Roy’s legendary football status and his penchant for a controversial opinion or two being a clear favourite. The women however voted for more of the strong, silent type in actor Liam Neeson and the cheeky chappy in Jamie Dornan. One might help keep a cool head in a stressful situation, while the other would be sure to raise a laugh, and maybe an eyebrow – both of which could be useful when stuck in M50 traffic during rush hour”, concluded Billy Shannon.