Ardern told Norton the comment had annoyed her because her government was focused on both protecting people and protecting the economy.
“I should add, I’m not a violent person”, she added to laughter.
Reflecting on the Covid impacted election, she told Norton the landslide win in 2020 “never felt like victory.
“I kind of thought, okay, people want us to keep going. And so we did, but it got harder.
“The election then was almost like an election in the middle of a war, it’s sort of how it felt in some ways.”
Norton asked Ardern about why she thought her popularity began to decline.
She said while she took responsibility for her time in office, global politics had also changed over that period.
“I think we have seen politics carry a lot more grievance from individuals, and in some ways it’s become more violent and aggressive. So, you know, I don’t think it was just any one leader that has experienced that shift.”
Despite the shift in the political landscape, Ardern said she would still encourage young people to get into politics.
“What other job if you’re a do-gooder, like I can be sometimes, when you see a problem in the world, and you’ve got the power to do something about it, what other job do you get that gift?”
She made a plea for people to not “give up on the prospect that politics can be better”.
Throughout the lively episode, Ardern sat alongside actor Kate Winslet, talk show host Seth Meyers and comedian Alan Carr.
She also spoke about auditioning many years ago to be an extra in Sir Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy – as a hobbit.
“Half of New Zealand auditioned, and half of New Zealand starred, except for me.”
Winslet, whose first film was Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures, was full of praise for the way Ardern had handled her dual roles of pregnancy and global leadership.
The former politician said she discovered she was pregnant three days before finding out she would be Prime Minister.
“Oh my god she is so amazing. You are so amazing,” Winslet said, to applause from the audience.
Ardern said on the show that she would not return to politics because, after first entering Parliament at 28 years old, it was now up to the next generation.
The Graham Norton Show episode featuring Kate Winslet, Jacinda Ardern, Alan Carr and Seth Meyers will air on TVNZ and TVNZ+ on Friday 12 December.
