Michael Parkinson's glittering career and interview that 'haunted him forever'

17 August 2023 , 11:14

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Michael Parkinson's glittering career and interview that 'haunted him forever'

Michael Parkinson will forever be regarded as one of the most talented and loved broadcaster's in the UK.

The TV legend, who has sadly died at the age of 88 after a short illness, was the king of chat shows and carved out a television career that spanned five decades. He was best known for presenting his talk show Parkinson from 1971 to 1983. The small screen veteran’s show was revived in 1998 and ran until his retirement in 2007.

Michael’s glittering career saw him interview icons such as Muhammad Ali and Sir Elton John and he was knighted in the 2008 New Year’s Honour’s List. He is survived by his wife Mary, who he married in 1959, and their three sons.

Regarded as the nation's most beloved TV interviewer, Michael has interviewed upwards of 2000 stars over the years while fronting his own talk show, Parkinson, which regularly pulled in more than eight million viewers every Saturday night.

Sir Michael had a car-crash interview with actress Meg Ryan in 2003 (BBC)

Parky has chatted to everyone from Hollywood icons to boxer Muhammad Ali, ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney and footie legend David Beckham. However, there was one painful interview that nearly broke him - and some say led to end of his guest's career.

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Hollywood actress Meg Ryan appeared on the show in 2003 to promote her new film 'In The Cut', which was already bombing. Rather than the usual compelling interviews viewers were used to, they witnessed one of the most awkward clashes in TV history. Meg moved her chair so she was almost facing the presenter and ignored fellow guests Trinny Woodhall and Susanna Constantine - even turning her back to them at one point.

The Hollywood star sat stony-faced and replied with one word answers, giving the impression she was bored, irritated and did not want to be there chatting to the broadcast legend that was Michael. Ever the professional though, Parky tried to keep the interview moving but eventually the tension boiled over.

Claiming she was weary of being interviewed, Michael asked in desperation what she would do if she were in his shoes conducting the interview. "Well I'd just wrap it up," Meg bluntly replied, as the audience awkwardly laughed.

Meg called out Michael Parkinson after the interview, calling him a 'nut' (Daily Mirror)

Michael later furiously hit back at the Hollywood actress (Huddersfield Daily Examiner)

Although UK viewers praised Michael for his professionalism throughout the painfully awkward interview, three years later Hollywood actress Meg shared her side to the story as she called the legendary broadcaster a 'nut' as she explained her cold manner during the infamous chat.

"I don't even know the man. That guy was like some disapproving father. It's crazy. I don't know what he is to you guys, but he's a nut," she told Marie Claire in 2006. I felt like he was berating me for being naked in the movie. He said something like: 'You should go back to doing what you were doing.' And I thought, are you like a disapproving dad right now? I'm not even related to you. Back off, buddy. I was so offended by him."

The Hollywood actress also moaned that the interview format was longer and tougher than she is used to on American TV. "I had to do 20 minutes straight with this guy, and I could either walk off - which probably wouldn't be good - or try to disagree with him respectfully," she added. "Maybe I should go on Jonathan Ross and talk about ... what do you call him ... Parky?"

After hearing what Meg had to say about his interviewing skills, Parky furiously hit back at the When Harry Met Sally actress. Michael scathingly claimed Meg was "the most boring bore I've ever met" in response to being branded a "nut". "That's her opinion. She's welcome to it. I'm delighted - to be called a nut by her is a compliment," he told The Mirror in April 2006.

Sir Michael has sadly died at the age of 88 after a short illness

Parky is loved as one of the most celebrated broadcasters of all time in the UK (Mirrorpix)

Although Parky did then jokingly try to shrug off Meg's comments, joking that they were actually secretly very close. He jokingly added: "I still send her Christmas cards, of course. Actually, we're secret friends. She fancies me, she told me that. She said, 'Michael, I would leave home for a man like you'."

Then in 2016, Michael revealed more intimate details of what happened before the tense interview. Describing the moments leading up to their chat, he told The Mirror: "I never used to talk to people before except to say, ‘Hi, how are you,’ before they came on the set. On this occasion I had to go to her dressing room and went out there and said hi to her.

"And she was sitting on one side of the dressing room staring at the wall, and the entourage were at the other side staring at the wall, I thought, ‘Hmm, this is going to be cosy.’ But the thing that really did it was I had on the guest beforehand, and she was sitting behind the set watching it on a monitor there, so she knew damn well what was going on."

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The celebrated British broadcaster and journalist died eight years after receiving the all clear following treatment for prostate cancer. His family confirmed the sad news in a heartbreaking statement: "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."

Susan Knox