TV chat show host Graham Norton’s home in Wapping has been burgled but his car has been found following a radio appeal.

The comic returned home in the early hours of Saturday morning to discover that his house had been ransacked and his black Lexus hybrid 4x4 taken.

Police believe the burglary happened some time between 8.45pm on Friday and just after midnight on Saturday. A police spokesman also confirmed a vehicle was taken from outside his home.

Norton later told listeners of his BBC Two radio show how he arrived home to discover the kitchen knife drawer had been disturbed and how he immediately feared intruders had harmed his pets. He also appealed to listeners to help find the vehicle by reading out its number plate.

“I’m a bit distracted but was anybody else broken into last night? Anybody else come home to find your house ransacked? It was only stuff and the dogs were fine but I didn’t get to bed until very late because I had to wait for the scenes-of-crime unit to come.

“It took me an hour before I realised they’d taken my car. I’m not sure we’ll catch them. Shall we have a game of crimestoppers? Shall I give out my registration? It’s a big black Lexus and filthy. Its reg is LT59 DDY and there’ll be a �5 reward if someone finds it.”

He later revealed on Twitter that his car had been recovered, but tweeted that “sadly” it was due to the on-board tracker rather than his radio and Twitter appeal.

There is no evidence the address was targeted, the police spokesman said.

Both the vehicle and the address are subject to a full forensic examination, police added.

No arrests have been made and enquiries continue.

Anyone with any information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.