Michael Parkinson's one regret and massive name who wouldn't speak to him on TV
Sir Michael Parkinson was best known for being the king of chat shows and interviewed some of the most famous and impressive names in showbiz during his five decades in television.
On his seventies talk show, Parkinson, he spoke to the likes of Muhammed Ali, George Michael, Madonna, Mel Gibson and Sir Elton John, as well as Sir Paul McCartney and Billy Connolly.
The British broadcaster would devote an entire programme to each guest and delve into their life and career, asking all the right questions, and sometimes the wrong ones - cue Helen Mirren.
But, there is one iconic celebrity that Michael never had the opportunity to interview, before he sadly passed away 'peacefully' at the age of 88, surrounded by family at his home last night.
Sir Michael Parkinson will be fondly remembered for interviewing some of the most famous faces (BBC)During an appearance on BBC Breakfast, the journalist and presenter opened up about not getting his time with American singer Frank Sinatra, as well as Australian cricket player Sir Don Bradman. When asked who his 'holy grail' interviewee would be, Michael quickly uttered the infamous music artist's name.
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He explained: "When I met Sinatra, [musician] Sammy Carr said, 'Meet Mike Parkinson, he does a great talk show'... all that sort of thing. Then I wandered around, Sammy went off somewhere else, I wandered around but didn't know anyone but me and Frank Sinatra. I said, 'I'm leaving now Mr Sinatra, but it was nice to have met you and hopefully I'll see you in London'.
Michael interviewed the biggest names in showbiz during his five-decade-long career in TV (Huddersfield Daily Examiner)
Musician Frank Sinatra was the one celebrity that Michael wished he had interviewed (AFP/Getty Images)"He said, 'Sure thing, David!', I thought 'I've really made a mark here'." Michael looked back on the moment with humour and chuckled explaining that Frank must have become confused during their interaction. Despite never getting the chance to speak one-to-one with the singer, Michael was proud of his achievements.
In 2021, he celebrated 50 years of his talk show by looking back at the 650 episodes, 2,000 guests and notable highlights that have made him a national treasure. He revealed that his favourite interview to date was with a renowned scientist in 1974, who emotionally spoke about his family's loss in Auschwitz.
Renowned scientist Dr Jacob Bronowski was Michael's favourite ever intervieweeMichael said: "The question I'm always asked is, what was my favourite interview. Well it's an impossible question, and the answer I give always surprises. It was with a man called Dr Jacob Bronowski. A renowned scientist who created that towering achievement of television documentary making, The Ascent of Man."
The 13-part series explored the science behind human development in both positive and negative ways. In one particularly moving episode, the Polish-British academic visits Auschwitz concentration camp, where a number of his family members lost their lives to the Nazi regime. It was the emotional moment that cemented Bronowski in Parkinson's mind as one of the defining interviews of his career.
Michael's family shared the sad news of his death in a heartbreaking statement this morning. They said: "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."
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