JONATHAN ROSS did something rather nice on his show on Friday night. After winding up his guests for about five minutes, he took time out to pay tribute to Michael Parkinson, the grandfather of talk shows who bows out next week.
It was a tribute which I’m sure Parky will find touching, although Ross did jokingly say he hadn’t watched Parkinson for the last five years. It may have been a joke, but for many watching, it’s probably true – after all, when was the last time you watched Parky?
The problem with Parky is that his style of chat belongs in a by-gone age. Too often, celebrities who came on got an easy ride, questions on contentious issues remained unasked.
Maybe it was the interview with Meg Ryan that put him off asking the questions the stars didn’t want to hear, but if I only want to hear what a celebrity wants to talk about, I’ll go their website.
That all said, tonight’s two-hour programme Parkinson: The Final Conversation (ITV 1, 9pm) is a must-watch (even if it wasn’t only up against Cranford and the snooker).
All in all, Parky has done 36 years and 600 shows, and tonight’s show, with celebrities apparently hand-picked by Parky himself, does a good job in helping sum up that time. Billy Connolly, Michael Caine, David Attenborough and David Beckham all talk genially with Parky, as though they are sharing half a mild in a pub on the Yorkshire moors.
Peter Kay will always add a bit of spice to things, but not even he will be able to take attention away from the true star tonight: Parky himself. It’s the end of an era, quite possibly one which should have ended some years ago, but the end of an era nonetheless.
Strangely, Meg Ryan hasn’t been invited back. Here is quite possibly why:
- Post to:
del.icio.us
Digg
Newsvine
Nowpublic
Reddit
« Previous | Home | Next »