Michael Parkinson, the English broadcaster who hosted the popular long-running talk show “Parkinson,” has died, the BBC reports. He was 88.
In a statement to the BBC, Parkinson’s family 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.”
Parkinson hosted his eponymous talk show from 1971 to 1982 on BBC1, and then again from 1998 to 2007. In 2004, “Parkinson” moved from BBC1 to ITV. Over the course of the show’s run, Parkinson interviewed guests like Paul McCartney, Muhammad Ali, George Michael, Madonna, Fred Astaire, Orson Welles and Mel Gibson.
More to come…