Former chat show host Michael Parkinson has passed away at the age of 88.

Sad news..simply the best chat show host.

A giant of the chat show genre, some ground-breaking interviews, Muhammad Ali, Billy Connolly (15 times on his show) and other top line stars too numerous to mention. A very special interviewing style.
We won't see his like again.

RIP Michael.

Steve1956 wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 10:14 am

Sad news..simply the best chat show host.

He and Wogan were both excellent.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 10:12 am

Former chat show host Michael Parkinson has passed away at the age of 88.

An absolute master of the art of interviewing and always came across as an all round good sort which must have played a major part in attracting such a stellar list of names onto his shows. RIP Parky.

P.S. hopefully this thread won't be sullied by some completely unfunny wazzock posting a picture of Terry Wogan or similar.

burnley007 wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 10:27 am

He and Wogan were both excellent.

Yea I agree mate...but Parky just edged it.

cricketfield73 wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 10:28 am

An absolute master of the art of interviewing and always came across as an all round good sort which must have played a major part in attracting such a stellar list of names onto his shows. RIP Parky.

P.S. hopefully this thread won't be sullied by some completely unfunny wazzock posting a picture of Terry Wogan or similar.

Yea...it just isn't funny

One word - Legend

An age when interviewers and also guests respected their audience and they had real conversations. Parky was a master of his art. Sure, the later series ended up a bit black slapping ,though he was a fine cricket journalist too . For people comparing him to the grinning toupe king Wogan, give your head a wobble ffs.

Amazing interviewer. Master of his craft. His chats with Connelly and Spike Milligan we’re beyond hilarious. I seem to recall similar with Robin Williams. But could be serious as well.
One of the best things ever to come out of Yorkshire. Barnsley wasn’t it?
As someone has said we won’t see his like again.

That time he grabbed "Emu" by the neck and said if it didn't stop he would break "Its" neck and the look on Rod Hulls face as he knew Parky was not joking.

RIP Parky

Parkinson really was the master of his craft - his Saturday night show became a must watch, even when the bloody emu turned up.

I saw him recently with Dickie Bird and Boycott doing an interview and he'd really aged. Having said that, at the time I'd no idea he'd reached 88.

Decent back in the day. Vanished up his own rear end latterly.

Sad to learn of his passing away, one of TV’s greats, may he rest in peace and condolences to family and friends.

The word is used too often, but he really was a legend.

I always liked it when he interviewed Peter Kay. It was never an interview as such, Peter would just tell stories and Parky would be in absolute bits.

fatboy47 wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 10:48 am

Decent back in the day. Vanished up his own rear end latterly.

Unnecessary comment tbh.



RIP Michael, one of the best.

Very sad loss. One of the greatest at his job. RIP Parky.

Simply irreplaceable. I miss the format. Parky led the way, Wogan and Clive James followed… wonderful times.

R.I.P thanks for the years and laughs Parky

Several of his interviews of George Best and the absolutely blathered Oliver Reed were memorable.

An interviewer who was more interested in his interviewees than himself. Unlike so many now. RIP, Michael Parkinson

As everyone says his Saturday night shows were a must .
Simply the best.A top guy as well.
RIP

RIP Michael - one of the best. Condolences to the family

He was also a great journo and writer. His books Cricket Mad and Football Daft are well worth getting hold of if you can run them down. A good northern wry sense of humour.

I was only watching youtube videos of his chat shows last night with Peter Kay, Billy Connolly etc The best interviewer/chat show host ever
RIP Michael Parkinson

Parky , no words needed

Tribesmen wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 12:10 pm

Parky , no words needed

When you compare him with Jonothan Ross even a deceased Parky would be marginally better
Russel Harty was good too but died too young. I recall Russel going to Spain to interview Salvador Dali who would only do an interview if both he and Russel were swimming around in Dali's swimming pool.

R.I.P. Parky,will be sadly missed..

His interview with George Michael in the wake of the latter's arrest is a masterclass. Insightful and questioning but respectful. Two different personalities bouncing lines off each other and the end result is sublime. RIP

Thst is sad. Has said above, probably the best chat show host. Very memorable guests, including Muhammad Ali and Billy Connelly. Very watchable tv. RIP

He wasn't bad for a Yorkshire man . A truly remarkable interviewer who made is about the guest. Highlight of Saturday evening tele.

Best chat show host ever.

His show with Barry Humphries was hilarious.
Sad when someone who was a master of their trade passes away.

A professional Yorkshireman. And an absolute master at the art of interviewing people. I have seen the George Michael one and the opening exchange is brilliant from both. GM - when i was a kid my Mum allowed me to stay up past my bedtime but only to watch your show. She is probably less than thrilled that i had to get my willy out to appear on your show!

As others have said, we will not see the likes of Michael Parkinson again. RIP

bfcjg wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 12:38 pm

He wasn't bad for a Yorkshire man . A truly remarkable interviewer who made is about the guest. Highlight of Saturday evening tele.

Lesson in there for anyone who has a need or a desire to interview the stars…. watch Parky, and learn your craft.

Excellent at his job, and he always came across as just a really nice man.

RIP

fatboy47 wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 10:48 am

Decent back in the day. Vanished up his own rear end latterly.

A tad harsh, he was brilliant in his day.
I'd agree the "Professional Yorkshireman" act got a bit tiresome later on.

Watching his show was an absolute must. Great interviews are also good listeners and allow the interviewee to actually answer the question. A number of current interviewers need to learn that.
Some good stuff on YouTube…his interview with a young Helen Mirren is absolutely hilarious.
RIP

Very sad news.
Loved Parkys show.
Back in the day, he'd have interviewed a bowl of cold porridge & effortlessly made it interesting.
Always liked reading his articles in the Daily Telegraph too.
Think it's where my soft spot for Barnsley came from before the Beeb kept mixing us up!

R.I.P

Intelligent, cultured, good-humoured, likeable, genuine working-class boy made good. Hopefully the BBC might repeat some of his shows in tribute...some truly fantastic interviews. RIP Parky.

fatboy47 wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 10:48 am

Decent back in the day. Vanished up his own rear end latterly.

Wholly unnecessary……

Jimmymaccer wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 4:02 pm

Wholly unnecessary……

Really sorry.
I'll be sure to run my opinions by you in future.

Interview with his very emotional best buddy Dickie Bird just been on Sky News.
RIP Parky.

Steve1956 wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 10:14 am

Sad news..simply the best chat show host.

Exactly what i was about to write........The BEST!

fatboy47 wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 4:07 pm

Really sorry.
I'll be sure to run my opinions by you in future.

Good to know………..

Michael Parkinson was a brilliant interviewer, no doubt about it, but he wasn't perfect. His aforementioned interview with Helen Mirren is a case in point. His whole approach to that interview was condescending throughout, describing her as a "serious actress" while miming exclamation marks to her face, He then went on to spend the next few minutes digging himself a deeper and deeper hole as he asked her whether he success was down to her physical attributes as he called them. She utterly destroyed him with her justifiable contempt for his approach. I remember years later he attempted to write it off as an attitude of the times but the truth is he saw her as easy meat and paid the price.

Other than that, a master of his trade.

Taffy on the wing wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 6:00 pm

Exactly what i was about to write........The BEST!

Bar non Taff.
The 15 Billy Connelly interviews are worthy of a programme all on there own.

I met Michael Parkinson at an event at Turf Moor, I think it was when Jimmy McIlroy received his MBE. Parkinson was the hosting the evening.

He was really down to earth and it was easy to recognise why he was so successful as a chat show host. Seemed a genuinely nice fella.

An amusing Parkinson story involving Elton John.

https://twitter.com/paulwtrueman/status ... 1417888005

I loved the mixture of guests from different spheres of life .... Barry Sheene and Sir Ralph Richardson .... Angie Dickinson, Barbara Woodhouse and Billy Connolly ... Joan Rivers, Jamie Oliver and Cliff Richard ... Dame Edna, Judi Dench and Sharon Osborne .
This is a classic half hour with Morecambe and Wise ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcGjf5zdR5I