Michael Parkinson, the 'Chat Show King' of Britain, passes away at the age of 88

 Michael Parkinson, the 'Chat Show King' of Britain, passes away at the age of 88

Peter Sellers, Paul McCartney, Fred Astaire, Muhammad Ali, Elton John, and Fred Astaire are just a few of the well-known figures who have appeared on Michael Parkinson's interview couch.

Michael Parkinson, a seasoned British chat show presenter whose decades-long career included encounters with some of the most well-known people in the world, has passed away at age 88, his family said on Thursday.

He became well-known because to the June 1971 debut of his BBC series "Parkinson."

He had a brief illness before passing away late on Wednesday.

Peter Sellers, Paul McCartney, Fred Astaire, Muhammad Ali, Elton John, and Fred Astaire are just a few of the well-known figures that have been on his interview couch.

Others included Gwyneth Paltrow, Tom Cruise, Helen Mirren, David Bowie, Lauren Bacall, and Lauren Bacall.

According to a statement from his family, "Sir Michael Parkinson passed away peacefully at home last night in the company of his family," asking for "privacy and time to grieve."

Before being resurrected in 1998, the famous interviewer's BBC talk show had a successful run up until 1982.

In 2004, he left the BBC for ITV, a commercial competitor, where he remained until 2007.

David Beckham, Michael Caine, Judy Dench, environmental broadcaster David Attenborough, and others appeared on Parkinson's farewell two-hour programme in late 2007.

Parkinson received a knighthood from the late Queen in 2008 at Buckingham Palace.

The presenter, who was up in a working-class neighbourhood in northern England as the son of a miner, added, "I never expected to be knighted -- I thought there was more potential of me turning into a Martian really."

He worked as a newspaper journalist before going on the radio, which he credited with helping him hone his interviewing techniques.

Following a routine health checkup, he disclosed in 2013 that he had been given a prostate cancer diagnosis.

With Mary, his wife whom he married in 1959, he had three boys.

The director-general of the BBC praised the British TV veteran as "the king of the chat show" and a "incredible broadcaster great journalist" as contributions to him rapidly poured in.

Stephen Fry, a comedian, admired his sincerity.

"Parky was a genius because, in contrast to most people (and most of his guests, including me), he was always completely true to himself. On and off camera," he said on Instagram.