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British Interviewer Parkinson Tapes Final Show
24 November 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Legendary British interviewer Michael Parkinson -- "Parky," as he is affectionately known to millions of viewers -- taped his final show after 36 years Thursday night, bringing on board a raft of top British celebrities for a two-hour special. "I was told to pick a wish list and I put down these names and every single one of them is here." He read them out: "David Beckham, Sir Michael Caine, Sir David Attenborough, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Edna Everage, Billy Connolly, Peter Kay and Jamie Cullum." Parkinson appeared visibly moved as he received a standing ovation from the studio audience. The special is scheduled to air in December.

Britain's "Parkey" To Step Down
27 June 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Legendary British television interviewer Michael Parkinson announced today (Wednesday) that he plans to step down after next season. "After 25 years of doing my talk show I have decided that this forthcoming series will be my last," he said in a statement on Tuesday. Paul Jackson, director of entertainment and comedy for ITV, where Parkinson's show has aired for the past three years (it was previously carried by the BBC), said that Parkinson "has defined the talk show in British television and no one has come near to equaling his record. His name is synonymous throughout the English-speaking world as a benchmark for integrity and quality in the talk show genre."

Did P.M. Blair's Son Aid 'Vendetta' Filmmakers?
22 March 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Stephen Fry, who plays a talk-show host in the new film V for Vendetta has told a real-life British talk show host that the makers of the movie were able to stage scenes of terrorist attacks on government buildings in London with the help of the 22-year-old son of Prime Minister Tony Blair, who had been hired as an assistant runner on the film. In an interview with Michael Parkinson, Fry said that he learned that Euan Blair was working on the film from an assistant director. "I said, 'How did you get permission -- you usually can't get permission to do anything anywhere near seats of government? You know, the secret service and various other people don't like it, plus civil servants don't like it.'" At that moment, Fry said, the assistant director pointed out young Blair. "And I said, 'Ah, that's how we got there.' "Daddy, daddy, can you please let them have permission to film?"'" A moment later, Fry added slyly, "No, I'm sure there was nothing like that."

Campbell Shocks with Drug Confession
10 September 2004 (WENN)
Supermodel Naomi Campbell has stunned a TV studio audience by exposing details of her drugs battle - after fighting to keep her ordeal a secret. The temperamental catwalk queen won $6,300 damages at London's High Court in 2002 after she sued a newspaper for taking pictures of her leaving a Narcotics Anonymous meeting in Los Angeles. Campbell took legal action claiming the photographers breached her privacy. However, on British chatshow host Michael Parkinson's TV program - to be aired in the UK tomorrow - the model admits she did battle an addiction to alcohol and has experimented with drugs. She told him, "Once an alcoholic addict, always an alcoholic addict. I took my first drug at 24 years old. I did a drug, a speedy drug. No one forced me to do it, I did it because I wanted to. I don't have any blame for anyone but myself."

Talk-Show Host Says He Was "Pissed Off" at BBC
24 August 2004 (StudioBriefing)
Veteran British talk-show host Michael Parkinson has acknowledged that he quit the BBC earlier this year because he was "really, really pissed off" at the way he was being treated after 30 years with the broadcaster. Parkinson, whose defection to rival ITV produced front-page headlines in the British press, said in an interview with the U.K.'s Heat magazine: "The problem with the BBC is that, if you're in a show like my own -- or any show indeed -- you're looking for some kind of promotion, some kind of enthusiasm, some backup to be shown from them." Not only wasn't his show being promoted, he maintained, it was being "shoved to one side" to make room for soccer telecasts. With five days remaining on his contract, no decision had yet been made on a time slot for his program, he said. "I got really, really pissed off about his. Then I got a call from ITV saying, 'There's something going on, ' and I said, 'You're right, something is going on.' And they said, 'Well, talk to us.' And I did." Parkinson's ITV show debuts this weekend with an interview with Tom Cruise.

Beckham Confesses to Wife Victoria
19 April 2004 (WENN)
David Beckham has confessed to wife Victoria Beckham that reports of his extra- marital affair with Rebecca Loos are true, and has pleaded with her to give their marriage a second chance. Beckham has finally admitted to his wife that allegations made by his former personal assistant of a passionate affair are accurate, and friends claim Victoria is now considering splitting with the soccer ace on a trial basis, according to Britain's News Of The World tabloid. The Real Madrid star apparently confessed to his singer spouse in a phone call on April 8 that he had slept with Loos and sent her a series of highly sexual text messages. Close pals say the former Spice Girl is so hurt by her husband's revelations, she has scrapped plans to be interviewed by British TV legend Michael Parkinson, and has jetted back to England alone to celebrate her 30th birthday today.

Ryan Hits Back at "Hostile" British Interviewer
29 January 2004 (WENN)
Hollywood star Meg Ryan has hit out at accusations made by British talk-show host Michael Parkinson that she was rude to him - insisting he was the "hostile" one. The actress appeared on the TV star's self-entitled show last year and limited her answers to "Yes" and "No" when he quizzed her about her private life. Following the interview, Parkinson tagged Ryan the most difficult guest he'd ever had on the show, but the In The Cut star has now reignited their feud by accusing him of mistreating his guests. She says, "I was really surprised by him. I felt that he confused my In The Cut character with who I was - that's the most generous thing I can say about him. He was calling me bruised and wary and I was like, 'You know, man, I'm a guest on your show and I'm here to talk to you....' I felt that he was hostile from the start. And that's my opinion about him."

Fergie Cancels Talk-Show Appearance in U.K.
14 November 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has pulled out of a scheduled interview with British talk-show host Michael Parkinson, saying that her appearance would be "inappropriate" during the current scandal swirling around Princess Diana's former butler Paul Burrell, which is affecting the royal family.