Iconic UK chat show host Sir Michael Parkinson has died following a brief illness. In a statement from his family to the BBC, it was confirmed he passed away peacefully at home last night in the company of his family. He was 88.
His career on UK screens spanned seven decades, speaking with many of the world’s biggest stars ranging from Muhammad Ali and Madonna to David Bowie, Tom Cruise, Helen Mirren and many more.
Parkinson began his career as a print journalist, along with serving as press liaison officer in Egypt during the Suez crisis. He was a current affairs reporter and film reviewer in the 1960s, before landing his own BBC talkshow “Parkinson” in 1971.
With it, he pioneered a style of interviewing that was more conversational, relaxing guests and avoiding interruptions whilst always focusing on the interview subject and not himself.
At the same time, he was a good listener and was able to engage guests with intelligent conversation in a way that saw quite a few come back on a regular basis.
He reportedly interviewed over 2,000 people in his career, including the two periods the show ran from 1971-1982 and 1998-2007. He also hosted a number of BBC radio programmes.
Parkinson previously had radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer in 2013, but was given an all-clear two years later. He is survived by his wife, Mary, and their three children.
Source: The Guardian
