1975 – Helen Mirren: Sexism accusations mar an interview exploring Mirren’s portrayal and physical attributes.
1976 – Rod Hull and Emu: Infamous attack by a marionette overshadowed other encounters.
Muhammad Ali (1971-1982): A series of confrontational interviews with the legendary boxer.
The conversations he had with Dame Helen Mirren in 1975 and Meg Ryan in 2003 are among those he would prefer not to be remembered for.
The interviews with Sir Michael Parkinson are among the most memorable in British broadcasting.
He conducted interviews with prominent personalities from both sides of the Atlantic, including Madonna, Sir Elton John, and Tom Cruise, as well as Sir Tony Blair and Boris Johnson.
However, out of more than 800 episodes of his talk show, he will be remembered for only a handful, and not always for the correct reasons.
1975 – Dame Helen Mirren
During an interview in the 1970s with actress Dame Helen Mirren, Parkinson was frequently accused of sexism.
Perhaps as a reflection of attitudes prevalent at the time, he chose to focus on her portrayal as a “sex queen” and questioned her about whether her “physical attributes… impeded her career” or “detracted from her performance.”
The then 30-year-old appeared uneasy and pressed him for clarification, accusing him of stating that “serious actresses cannot have large breasts.”
Reflecting on the conversation years later, he “confesses to being sexist by today’s standards.”
“I was my most conceited self,” he said, adding that it revealed “a repulsive side of myself.”
1976’s Rod Hull and Emu
One of Parky’s most well-known encounters was with the entertainer Rod Hull and his renowned marionette Emu.
In his later years, he quipped that there were far superior exchanges he would have preferred to be known for.
“I’ll probably be remembered for that bloody bird,” he stated.
The fake bird relentlessly attacked him over the course of several minutes, causing damage to the set’s furnishings and eventually forcing him off his chair.
He was able to maintain his composure and sense of amusement throughout the ordeal before kicking him away and rising to his feet.
Muhammad Ali (1971 to 1982)
Parkinson conducted four interviews with the legendary boxer between 1971 and 1981, flying to the United States in 1974 to conduct a joint interview with American talk show presenter Dick Cavett.
In retrospect, he compared their encounters to boxing matches, asserting that he “lost every time.”
“He was confrontational, authoritarian, and all those things… he had a physical presence,” he recalled in 2016.
The athlete spoke eloquently about his upbringing, prejudice, and conversion to Islam during their initial conversation.
However, as the years passed, their conversations became more heated.
During their conversation in 1974, Ali stated, “You and this little TV show are nothing to Muhammad Ali.”
Then, in 1981, he again challenged Parkinson, declaring, “I’m not just a boxer. I could speak for an entire week about an infinite number of topics. You lack the intelligence to confront me on television. You lack the mental capacity to challenge me on any of my positions.”
Even though he claimed Ali presented a distinct version of himself each time, he claimed he relished each opportunity to sit opposite him.
“What a figure, what a personality,” said Parkinson.
“I’ve seen some handsome males in my time, but he was the most attractive. However, the gibberish he spoke was extraordinary.”
