Michael Parkinson facts for kids

Sir Michael Parkinson (born March 28, 1935 – died August 16, 2023) was a famous English television presenter, journalist, and author. He was best known for his popular TV talk show, Parkinson. This show ran for many years, first from 1971 to 1982, and then again from 1998 to 2007. He also worked on radio and was called "the great British talk show host" by The Guardian newspaper.

Early Life and Beginnings

Michael Parkinson was born on March 28, 1935, in a village called Cudworth. This village is near Barnsley in England. His father was a miner. Michael went to Barnsley Grammar School. He was good at cricket and even had trials for the Yorkshire team. He once scored a century (100 runs) in a cricket match!

After school, Parkinson started his career as a journalist. He wrote for local newspapers and later for bigger ones like the Manchester Guardian and the Daily Express. He also served in the army for two years. He became the youngest captain in the British Army at that time.

Michael Parkinson's Career

Television Work

In the 1960s, Michael Parkinson started working in television. He worked on news and current affairs shows for the BBC and Granada Television. From 1966 to 1968, he was a reporter for the daily news show Twenty-Four Hours on BBC1.

His most famous show, Parkinson, started in July 1971. On this show, he interviewed many famous people from all over the world. He spoke to about 2,000 celebrities during his career! The show ran until 1982 and then came back from 1998 to 2007.

Parkinson also hosted other TV shows. He was one of the first presenters for TV-am in 1983. He also hosted Give Us a Clue and filled in as presenter for Film 85. In 1987 and 1988, he had a show called Parkinson One to One, where he interviewed one celebrity per episode.

In 1992, he appeared as himself in a TV drama called Ghostwatch. It was made to look like a real live ghost investigation, which made some viewers believe it was true. From 1995 to 1999, he hosted Going for a Song. He even played himself in the movie Love Actually in 2003.

On June 26, 2007, Michael Parkinson announced he would retire from his TV show. His final regular show was broadcast on December 16, 2007. He was very emotional during the last recording.

His show Parkinson was very important for the BBC. He interviewed many big names, from old-time stars to new comedians like Billy Connolly. He often spent a whole show talking to one special guest, like Fred Astaire, Muhammad Ali, or Sir Paul McCartney. He said that Muhammad Ali was the most amazing person he ever interviewed.

In November 2012, Parkinson returned to TV with a new show called Parkinson: Masterclass on Sky Arts.

Radio Work

Michael Parkinson also had a successful career in radio. In 1986, he took over hosting BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. On this show, guests choose eight pieces of music, a book, and a luxury item they would take if they were stranded on a desert island. He hosted the show for three years.

From 1996 to 2007, he presented a morning show on BBC Radio 2 called Parkinson's Sunday Supplement. On this show, he talked about newspapers and entertainment. He also interviewed media personalities and played jazz music, which he loved. His last radio show was on December 2, 2007.

Writing Career

Michael Parkinson was also a writer. He wrote articles for The Sunday Times and Punch magazine. These articles were often about sports, especially cricket and football.

In the 1980s, he wrote a series of children's books called The Woofits. These books were about a family of dog-like creatures living in a made-up mining village in Yorkshire. The books were even made into a TV series, which he narrated. He also wrote a sports column for the Daily Telegraph.

His autobiography (a book about his own life) called Parky: My Autobiography was published in 2008.

Other Activities

In 2008, Michael Parkinson launched his own website. It included interviews with famous people like Nelson Mandela and British comedian Rory Bremner. The website also had his blog, where he shared his thoughts on current events.

In 2011, he gave an important speech in Sydney, Australia, on Australia Day. He was the first person who was not Australian to do so.

Personal Life and Passing

On August 22, 1959, Michael Parkinson married Mary Agnes Heneghan. She became known as Mary Parkinson and was also a TV presenter. They had three children together.

Parkinson was a big fan of cricket. He and his wife lived in Bray, Berkshire, England. He also used to own a Michelin Star restaurant. He said he was an agnostic atheist, meaning he wasn't sure if God existed.

In 2013, he shared that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was given the all-clear from the disease in 2015, meaning he was free of it.

Sir Michael Parkinson passed away on August 16, 2023, at the age of 88, after a short illness.

Honours and Awards

Michael Parkinson received many awards and honours during his life.

• In 1999, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Lincoln.
• In November 2000, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Prince Charles for his work in broadcasting.
• In 2000, his show Parkinson was ranked eighth in a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes.
• In April 2006, he became an honorary patron of the University Philosophical Society of Trinity College Dublin.
• In 2008, he was made a Knight Bachelor by the Queen at Buckingham Palace. This meant he could be called "Sir Michael Parkinson". He joked that he wasn't the "type to get a knighthood" because he came "from Barnsley."
• On November 11, 2008, he became the first Chancellor of Nottingham Trent University. In this role, he represented the university and presented degrees to students at graduation ceremonies.

See also

In Spanish: Michael Parkinson para niños