Michael Parkinson will never bring back his talk show

11 December 2018

Sir Michael Parkinson is adamant he will never bring back his chat show.

Sir Michael Parkinson

The 83-year-old interviewer sat down to speak with some of the world's biggest stars on his programme 'Parkinson' - which ran from 1971 to 1982 and then from 1998 to 2007 - including Muhammad Ali, Robert De Niro, George Best and David Beckham and many more.

After ending his talk show 11 years ago, Parkinson has moved into other television work and his writing and he insists he cannot be tempted back for another round of interviews or even one-off specials as he thinks the appetite for in-depth profiles is not there anymore.

Speaking on ITV breakfast show 'Lorraine', he said: "I'm not doing it anymore, I'm really not. I'm more fascinated by those I did interview and I'm fascinated by the fact there aren't those opportunities for that kind of person that's out there. I do think they're around, I think the shows don't exist, in a sense, to do that long interview the half hour one or 40 minutes and I think that's a pity. And I still think there are people out there who are fascinating people."

Parkinson didn't get the chance to interview every person on his wish list and he admits he does regret never getting the chance to sit down and talk with singer-and-actress Barbra Streisand, whom he has much admiration for.

The journalist - who documents his friendship with late football legend Best in his new book 'George Best: A Memoir' - and his team always tried to get the 'Funny Girl' star on his show but she would never agree to do the interview in the studio.

He said: "Streisand, we never got hold of her, we tried every time but she always insisted we went to Paris to do the interview, god knows why, and we always said that it wasn't a movable feast the show, we can't bring the studio to Paris, you've got to come in and walk down the stairs but she never did. I would have loved to have interviewed her, I saw a documentary about her lately and she was a fascinating woman never mind a great singer."

Sir Michael Parkinson has claimed social media has killed the art of chat shows.

The iconic TV star - who was at the helm of his own show from 1971 to 2007 - insisted the accessibility of celebrities nowadays has made it difficult for presenters to ask their guests anything the audience doesn't already know about.

He's quoted by the Daily Star newspaper as saying: "The problem now is that the mystery and intrigue of fame have disappeared.

"Because of the electronic world we live in they have been replaced by a familiarity that can often mean no matter what question you might pose to your guest, the viewer already knows the answer."

While Sir Michael, 83, praised "old style" host Jonathan Ross, he also complimented Graham Norton, 55, for turning the format on its head by making it feel like "a party" with all the guests appearing at once.

He added: "Graham has solved the problem by transforming the talk show into a party with everyone, including the audience, invited.

"It works because of his rare talent for making his guests feel wanted and his ability to convince his guests, often meeting for the first time, that they are lifelong buddies.

"He is not so much a talk show host as an illusionist."

Jonathan, 57, recently echoed similar thoughts to the presenter, and admitted things have changed since Michael's heyday.

He said: "You have to find an angle now. And also the sorta show I'm doing now, it's not really a talk show which is about getting to the depth of a personality and finding out their problems in life.

"We do cover some of those topics, but really it's about trying to create a Saturday night entertainment show. We want a fun atmosphere and everyone to join in."