Famous British Chat Show Host Sir Michael Parkinson Has Passed Away At The Age Of 88
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Famed British television personality Michael ‘Parky’ Parkinson has passed away at the age of 88.
Parky has been a staple on British television screens since the 1960s. He was recruited to work on current affairs shows after his experience in print journalism and as a British Army press officer during the Suez Canal Crisis. Parkinson carved out a niche as a serious and trusted voice, known for asking intelligent and probing questions. As he gained in popularity, he moved to primetime, specializing as a chat show host and presenter. His self-titled talk-show Parkinson ran for over thirty years and had guests such as Ewan McGregor, Sandra Bullock, and Robbie Coltrane. He reportedly interviewed over 2000 of the world's most famous people, but it’s an incident with children's entertainer Rod Hull and Emu that people remember the most.
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Parkinson had a blunt and mischievous sense of humor. In 1992, he was the face of a Paranormal Activity-style program called Ghostwatch that was so realistic that many viewers believed it to be real. The BBC received so many complaints that it was never aired again.
Parkinson’s steady dulcet voice was also famous on the airwaves. He presented one of the most popular radio programmes in the UK, Desert Island Discs, for two years, as well as hosted his own news shows on various channels.
He’s received many accolades, but in 2008 he received the greatest honor that the UK can bestow. The miner’s son from Yorkshire was knighted by the Queen for services to broadcasting.
Parkinson was a talented cricketer and he often found himself at the crease in his spare time. He played with Geoffrey Boycott and Dickie Bird in his youth, and remained friends with the pair up until his death.
Parkinson is survived by his wife of sixty years and their three children. He will be greatly missed by the British broadcasting industry.
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Sources: Wikipedia [1], [2], SkyNews, The Guardian, BBC
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