• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Michael Parkinson's 'dear friend' shares details of emotional phone call with star days before death

Home> Entertainment> Celebrity> Celebrity News

Published 07:33 18 Aug 2023 GMT+1

Michael Parkinson's 'dear friend' shares details of emotional phone call with star days before death

Cricket legend Dickie Bird has paid tribute to his friend Michael Parkinson who died at the age of 88 earlier this week.

Callum Jones

Callum Jones

The television industry was rocked on Thursday after it was announced legendary interviewer and chat show host, Sir Michael Parkinson, had died at the age of 88.

"After a brief illness Sir Michael Parkinson passed away peacefully at home last night in the company of his family," his family told the BBC in a statement.

"The family request that they are given privacy and time to grieve."

In a long career where he became an icon of British telly, he interviewed countless celebrities and was known for developing an incredible rapport with those he spoke to.

Advert

The BBC show Parkinson ran first between 1971 and 1982 before another stint, which started in 1998, and hopped over to ITV in 2004 before concluding in 2007.

Sir Michael Parkinson died this week at the age of 88.
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images

With all these interviews and public appearances, Parkinson certainly made a lot of pals, including former cricketer and Yorkshire batsman, Dickie Bird.

In recent hours, Bird has been paying tribute to his 'dear friend', while also sharing details of an emotional phone call he had with Parkinson just days before his death.

The pair had actually been good pals since they met on the cricket pitch back in the 1950s, with Dickie saying he doesn't know 'how I will cope' after losing his friend.

Advert

Dickie, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday, told PA News Agency: "I shall miss him, I’ll tell you that. Not only was he a friend but he was a dear friend and I just don’t know how I will cope, I will miss him so much. There will never be another Parky."

Parkinson actually made a rare public appearance at Dickie's 90th birthday bash at Leeds' Headingley Stadium in April.

The pair seemingly still had a close bond, with Dickie speaking to the TV legend on the phone just days before the host died.

Dickie Bird has paid tribute to his 'dear friend'.
Gareth Copley/Getty Images

"He only rang me the other morning," Dickie added. "Just a couple of days ago really. We had a catch up. I said 'you keep going lad', and he said 'no, you keep going'. This is a real shock."

Advert

He continued: "We were so, so close. His friendship meant more to me than anything else.

"It meant so much to me. Our friendship, if I wanted any advice I would ring Parky up. He helped me in so many, many ways."

Ending his heartfelt tribute, Dickie promised that their 'friendship will always stand' and that Parkinson 'will always be my closest friend and my dearest friend.'

Featured Image Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images/Sky News

Topics: Celebrity, UK News, Cricket, TV and Film, BBC, ITV

Callum Jones
Callum Jones

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

11 hours ago
12 hours ago
13 hours ago
14 hours ago
  • 11 hours ago

    People hit out at Drake after they spot something in recent six-pack photo

    Social media users trolled Drake after noticing a strange detail

    Entertainment
  • 12 hours ago

    Netflix doc on 7/7 terrorist attack sees cop who shot innocent man explain why it happened

    The officer who shot Jean Charles de Menendez has spoken out for the first time in 20 years

    Entertainment
  • 13 hours ago

    Harry Potter theory changes films forever after 'Dumbledore watches himself die'

    The theory completely changes the Harry Potter films

    Entertainment
  • 14 hours ago

    Bizarre reason Chunk from The Goonies quit acting and very different life he now lives

    Chunk from The Goonies hasn't worked in acting for decades

    Entertainment
  • Jay Slater sent friend photo of him 'armed with knives' just hours before death, inquest hears
  • Freddie Flintoff on verge of tears during emotional moment as viewers say he should ‘take a bow’
  • Netflix users urged to watch 'suspenseful and breathtaking' number one show with 8,800,000 views in four days
  • Michael Fabricant's response after Mickey Rourke ordered to leave Celebrity Big Brother for 'inappropriate language'