Sir Michael Parkinson, iconic talk show host, dies aged 88

Parkinson was born in Cudworth near Barnsley in 1935, and became a journalist on local newspapers as soon as he left school. He went on to work for the Manchester Guardian and the Daily Express before moving into television in the 1960s.

As well as presenting shows such as Twenty-Four Hours and TV-Am, he went on to host his own show on BBC One between 1971 and 1982, called Parkinson.

The show returned to the BBC from 1998 to 2004 before moving to ITV from 2004 to 2007.

Across his career, he interviewed the likes of Orson Welles, Sir Paul McCartney, Muhammad Ali and Madonna. In 2000, Parkinson said he had interviewed over 2,000 of the world’s most famous people.

Speaking with The Guardian about the state of modern talk shows in 2012, he said: "If you look at the number of people who tried it since I started in 1971, it's like a tombstone; it really is. The graveyard is full of people who tried talk shows and didn't make it, mainly because they weren't journalists.

“There isn't one talk show on television today that asks questions or listens to answers. Name me one. There isn't one."

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After hearing news of Parkinson's passing, BBC Director-General Tim Davie said: "Michael was the king of the chat show and he defined the format for all the presenters and shows that followed.

"He interviewed the biggest stars of the 20th century and did so in a way that enthralled the public. Michael was not only brilliant at asking questions, he was also a wonderful listener.

"Michael was truly one of a kind, an incredible broadcaster and journalist who will be hugely missed."

As well as TV, Parkinson also hosted radio shows including Desert Island Discs for two years and a Radio 2 morning show called Parkinson’s Sunday Supplement, and wrote sports columns for both The Sunday Times and Daily Telegraph.

His autobiography, called Parky: My Autobiography, was published in 2008.

Parkinson also made a number of cameos across various TV shows, playing himself in Neighbours and appearing in Peter Kay’s Comic Relief music video for (Is This the Way to) Amarillo.