Jimmy Tarbuck met Sir Michael Parkinson for lunch just days before he died, and they had planned to meet again this week.
Jimmy Tarbuck remembers Sir Michael Parkinson
The legendary broadcaster passed away on Wednesday (16.08.23) at the age of 88, and now comedian Jimmy, 83, has explained he had visited his friend just days before his passing, but he left because the star was "getting a bit tired", and the two had made plans to have lunch together again soon.
Speaking on ITV's 'Good Morning Britain', he said: "He was a giant, a giant of our industry. And he was a giant in as much as it was a great journalist, a giant, a great friend, a giant of a friend. And the talk shows. None of them have come near him since it was just delightful, delightful company.
"And a very modest, man. You didn't seem going anywhere and go 'Oh, I'm Michael Parkinson!' And he'd walk in well dressed. And good fun. I mean, grateful.
"And last week at the house with young Michael, his son and I said, 'Oh, I'll go now, you're getting a bit tired', he said 'OK. Thanks for coming. Do you want lunch next week?' I said 'You arrange it, and I'll be there.'
"And unfortunately I won't."
The former ' Sunday Night at the London Palladium' host - who made a name for himself fronting game shows and quiz shows in the 1960s - was on the very last episode of the initial run of 'Parkinson' in 1982.
Jimmy described his close friend as "the best" as he remembered how the late TV star had given so many others a chance to succeed in showbusiness.
He added: "Tina Turner sang it. He was 'Simply the Best'. By far the best. from here to Lodge Lane. That's a place in Liverpool. He was the best. I mean, he listened. And he could be serious. And he had serious people on the shows that great doctor who spoke about the war, the two violinists who played, they had had me in there, and it was just compelling viewing."
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