Veteran British broadcaster Michael Parkinson has died at the age of 88, his former employer the BBC reported Thursday, citing a statement from his family.
“After a brief illness Sir Michael Parkinson passed away peacefully at home last night in the company of his family,” the statement said, according to the BBC. His family requested privacy.
Parkinson interviewed many of the world’s most famous people on his long-running show, which launched in 1971. It initially ran for 11 years, before returning in 1998 and ending in 2007.
Guests included Muhammad Ali, John Lennon, Elton John, Nelson Mandela and Judi Dench.
Tim Davie, the BBC’s director-general, paid tribute to “the king of the chat show,” who “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,” Davie added in a statement Thursday.
Parkinson’s interviewing style marked a change from the traditional American chat shows, eschewing desks in favor of a more intimate set up.
“When you’re interviewing people you can’t have anything that bars you, takes you away from that intimacy that you hope develops,” Parkinson said in 2016 at a BAFTA event celebrating his career.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated shortly.
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