‘We said our goodbyes’: Michael Parkinson’s old friend Dickie Bird reveals he spoke to the chat show king yesterday before his death at 88 – saying ‘I think he knew he was coming to the end’
- The two men had a lifelong friendship sparked by a love for cricket in their youth
Sir Michael Parkinson’s close friend Dickie Bird today revealed that he spoke to the broadcaster yesterday hours before he died aged 88.
Sir Michael, the raconteur ‘king of the chat show’ who was fondly called ‘Parky’ by friends and fans, passed away surrounded by his wife Lady Mary and their children at his Berkshire home last night.
Parky made his last public appearance with Dickie Bird at the cricket umpire’s 90th birthday bash at Headingley, Leeds in April.
But speaking to Times Radio, Dickie revealed that they had chatted on the phone in the hours before he passed away.
He said: ‘I think he knew that he was coming to the end. We said our goodbyes.
‘I only spoke to him yesterday on the phone, and it’s a big blow, I’ll miss a true friend. He was a true friend. Very special to me.”
The two men’s friendship had been lifelong and one of Parky’s last public appearances was with Dickie.
Sir Michael Parkinson and Dickie Bird at the Huddersfield University campus in Barnsley, where they received honorary doctorates
The two men’s friendship began in childhood with cricket and continued for seven decades
‘We talked about some of the moments of the happy times we spent together. He never lost his love for cricket. It was his first love cricket. And as I say, I only spoke to him yesterday morning on the phone and, and then I’ve got this news this morning that he’s passed away’
The two men’s friendship had been lifelong and one of Parky’s last public appearances was with him.
Sir Michael had put on a dapper display as the rare public outing at cricket umpire Dickie Bird’s 90th birthday party.
Parky was seen laughing with guests at the bash at Leeds’ Headingley Stadium.
He cut a suave figure in a light blue collared shirt, black trousers and a navy checkered blazer for the occasion.
The former talk show host was seen socialising with guests at his table, while he was also reunited with his friend Dickie, who was celebrating his 90th birthday.
The friends have known each other for many years and were teammates at Barnsley Cricket Club in the 1950s, before Sir Michael’s successful TV career.
Longtime pals: The friends have known each other for many years and were teammates at Barnsley Cricket Club in the 1950s, before Sir Michael’s successful TV career
Celebrations: The broadcaster was seen chatting with guests at his table at the party, while he was also reunited with his friend Dickie (pictured), who was celebrating his 90th birthday
Dickie this morning made a heartbreaking statement as news of his friend’s death was announced.
He said: ‘I shall miss him, I’ll tell you that. Not only was he a friend but he was a dear friend and I just don’t know how I will cope, I will miss him so much.
‘There will never be another Parky.’
The TV star died peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones, his family said in a statement.
Sir Michael interviewed some of Hollywood’s biggest names throughout his illustrious career including Jimmy Cagney, Fred Astaire, Lauren Bacall and Ingrid Bergmann.
All smiles: The former Parkinson talk show presenter, 88, appeared to be in jovial spirits as he was seen laughing with guests at the bash at Leeds’ Headingley Stadium
Rare appearance: Sir Michael Parkinson put on a very dapper display as he made a rare public appearance at cricket umpire Dickie Bird’s 90th birthday party on Wednesday
A statement from Sir Michael’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.’
BBC director-general Tim Davie paid tribute: ‘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.’
Sir Michael became a familiar face on both the BBC and ITV because of his intimate celebrity interviews, most notably on the BBC show Parkinson.
Parkinson first aired on the BBC on June 19 1971, and enjoyed a successful run until 1982. In 1998, the chat show was revived on the BBC and proved an instant hit.
Sir Michael Parkinson labelled Dame Helen Mirren a ‘sex queen’ in 1975 interview and asked if if her ‘equipment’ undermined her credibility
Michael Parkinson interviews actress Meg Ryan in the chat which ended in some hostility
It switched from the BBC to ITV1 in 2004 and ran until 2007 – the same year Sir Michael retired from his Sunday morning Radio 2 programme.
His career saw him welcome the likes of boxer Muhammad Ali, sporting star David Beckham and Rod Hull – with puppet Emu – on to his chat shows during a long and distinguished career.
Headline making interviews throughout his career included those with actresses Dame Helen Mirren and US star Meg Ryan.
He famously introduced stage and screen star Dame Helen as the ‘sex queen’ of the Royal Shakespeare Company during their 1975 chat show encounter, and asked if her ‘equipment’ hindered her being recognised as a serious actress.
In 2003, his interview with Ryan made headlines following a frosty one-on-one with the Hollywood actress while she was promoting the poorly received erotic thriller In The Cut.
Ryan sat stony-faced for the sit-down, delivering one-word answers after allegedly being rude to her fellow guests on the show, the fashion double act Trinny and Susannah.
Before his TV career, Sir Michael started life as an only child, growing up in a council house in the coalmining village of Cudworth, near Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
Michael revealed Yoko wasn’t as approachable as John (pictured) in their 1971 interview, which was once believed to be lost
Among his high-profile guests were Sir Billy Connolly, Muhammad Ali (above), Sir Elton John, Dame Helen Mirren and Madonna.
As a teenager, his miner father took him down the pit to put him off working there.
When his dreams of playing cricket for Yorkshire were dashed, he left school aged 16 and began working at a local paper, later joining the Manchester Guardian and then the Daily Express.
His first TV job was as a producer at Granada, and he later moved to Thames TV, before landing his chat show Parkinson at the BBC.
He had a short-lived term at TV-am as part of the original presenting line-up alongside the likes of Angela Rippon and David Frost, and appeared on the shows Give Us A Clue, one-off drama Ghostwatch and Going For A Song.
Sir Michael brought down the curtain on more than 30 years of his chat show at the end of 2007 with a final show featuring Beckham, Sir Michael Caine, Sir David Attenborough, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Edna Everage, Sir Billy Connolly, Peter Kay and Jamie Cullum in a two-hour special.
Speaking on the final show, he said: ‘Over the years it has been a privilege to meet some of the most intelligent and interesting people. It has always been a great joy and I shall miss it.’
As well as his television career, he was a respected radio broadcaster, having hosted Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4 as well as his own sports shows on Five Live. He was also an award-winning sports writer, having been a lifelong cricket fan.
Yorkshire County Cricket Club held a minute’s silence ahead of today’s play at York.
Sir Michael’s close friend, and current Yorkshire managing director of cricket, Darren Gough, said: ‘He was a Barnsley boy, like myself, and it was an absolute pleasure to know him and his family.
‘We are all devastated here at Yorkshire and thoughts of everyone at the Club are with Sir Michael’s family and friends at this sad time.’
Sir Michael was knighted by the late Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2008, and said of the accolade: ‘I never expected to be knighted – I thought there was more chance of me turning into a Martian really.’
In 2013, he spoke openly about being diagnosed with prostate cancer following a routine health check.
He had three sons with wife Mary, who he married in 1959.
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