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BBC announces schedule shake-up after Sir Michael Parkinson’s death aged 88-Sabrina Barr-Entertainment – Metro
The revered broadcaster will always be remembered for his impeccable interviews.
The revered broadcaster will always be remembered for his impeccable interviews (Picture: Brian J Ritchie/Rex/Shutterstock)
Following the news of Sir Michael Parkinson’s death at the age of 88, the BBC has announced a shake-up to its pre-planned schedule to honour the titan of broadcasting.
In a statement shared by his family with the broadcaster, it was revealed that the legendary presenter died following a brief illness, after making his mark in entertainment across seven decades.
The journalist was at the forefront of numerous unforgettable moments on TV on his eponymous chat show Parkinson, from sparring with Muhammad Ali to Victoria Beckham revealing her cheeky ‘golden balls’ nickname for her husband David Beckham.
To pay homage to Sir Michael, the BBC has announced that has changed its programme for the evening of Wednesday August 17 to air Parkinson at 50, a documentary that was originally released in 2021.
‘In a change to scheduled programming, Parkinson At 50 will air on @BBCOne tonight from 9pm,’ the tweet read.
‘You can also watch the documentary on @BBCiPlayer now, along with some of Sir Michael Parkinson’s classic interviews.’
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Sir Paul McCartney made an appearance on an episode of Parkinson (Picture: ITV)
Who can forget when Sir Michael met Muhammad Ali? (Picture: BBC Picture Archives)
The release of Parkinson at 50 marked half a century since Sir Michael filmed his first episode of Parkinson, which aired on June 16 1971.
While the show was originally regarded as a temporary 10-week filler programme, it evidently proved too popular to bring to an abrupt end, instead continuing for 650 episodes and featuring more than 2,000 guests in total.
The BBC programme recalls how Parkinson endured for such a long time despite its ‘humble beginnings’, becoming a ‘Saturday night staple’, which won four Bafta Awards and was nominated for eight.
As told in the documentary, Sir Michael jumped into the deep end when he made his first attempt interviewing a celebrity, speaking to none other than Rolling Stone musician Mick Jagger.
The BBC snapped him up, and the rest – as they say – is history.
The journalist was knighted by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2008 (Picture: Rex/Shutterstock)
It’s not every day that you’re attacked by an Emu on TV (Picture: BBC Picture Archives)
His career spanned seven decades (Picture: Tim Roney/Radio Times/Getty Images)
While many of his interviews went swimmingly well, others were not so successful, with many remembering his encounter with Meg Ryan, which featured a very tense exchange.
A couple of years ago, Sir Michael offered an apology to the You’ve Got Mail actress over their 2003 meeting, admitting that he wished he ‘hadn’t lost his temper’ when she gave curt answers to his questions.
‘I wish I’d dealt with it in a more courteous manner. I was quite obviously angry with her and it’s not my business to be angry towards the guests. I came across as kind of pompous and I could have done better,’ he told Radio Times.
When asked what he would say if they were to ever meet again, he added: ‘I’m sorry. But you must understand that you played a part in it, too. Neither of us were on top form, and we were both discomforted.’
Parkinson at 50 airs tonight at 9pm on BBC One and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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