Michael Parkinson, iconic talk show host, dies aged 88
The influential British talk show host Michael Parkinson, known for his work with the BBC, has died at the age of 88.
A statement from the late presenter’s family read: “After a brief illness Sir Michael Parkinson passed away peacefully at home last night in the company of his family…The family request that they are given privacy and time to grieve”.
Interviewing some of the biggest names in politics, entertainment and culture, Parkinson’s TV career spanned decades, building up an impressive repertoire of names, including David Bowie, John Lennon, Celine Dion and David Beckham. Estimating that he had interviewed over 2,000 guests in total, Parkinson was seen as an icon of the industry and once stated that his sit-down chat with Muhammad Ali in 1974 was his favourite of all time.
Speaking about his interview with Ali in a discussion with Sky, Parkinson stated: “The thing you remember about him was that he had this extraordinary charisma, this real star quality, which I’ve never really seen to such a degree in anybody else I ever interviewed”.
Continuing, he adds: “The thing about Ali, you must consider about him, is that he transformed boxing, he made people who didn’t like boxing go to his events…He made a powerful impact on the sport…You felt like you were interviewing a Martian, or someone from outer space, he wasn’t like anybody else”.
Made a CBE in 2000 before being knighted in 2008, the presenter’s talk show Parkinson ran from 1971-2007.
Born in 1935, Parkinson went on to achieve two O-Levels, later getting a job in his early life collating sports results for a local newspaper. Taking on two years in the British army, the presenter soon returned to journalism, working for the Manchester Guardian and the Daily Express in London before taking to television, becoming a current affairs presenter for the BBC, where he would later curate his own talk show.
Parkinson is survived by his wife, Mary, and their three children.
Take a look at a clip from Parkinson’s interview with John Lennon from 1971 below, in which the Beatles star bemoans the attitudes in the press towards his partner Yoko Ono.
“The alienation started when I met Yoko,” he started, “Everyone had this impression that ‘John’s gone crazy’ but all I did was fall in love like a lot of people do”.
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