Sir Michael Parkinson: Yorkshire pays tribute to TV legend

The legendary presenter has been described as the "soul of Yorkshire"

Tributes have poured in from Sir Michael Parkinson's home county of Yorkshire following the death of the TV chat show legend, aged 88.

Sir Michael, who was born in Cudworth, near Barnsley, died on Wednesday after a short illness, his family confirmed.

During his 70-year career, "Parky" interviewed top names such as John Lennon, Muhammad Ali and George Best.

Former cricket umpire and Yorkshire icon Dickie Bird, 90, said: "There'll never be another Parky."

Though Sir Michael was one of the best known TV chat show hosts of all time, he described himself as a "scrubber".

The son and grandson of miners, he wanted to follow a different path and yearned to become a cricketer for Yorkshire.

He told the BBC: "That would've been everything. That would've been the entire cap on my life, to play for Yorkshire and get the white rose."

Sir Michael Parkinson pictured with his guest Muhammad Ali in 1981

Though he never got to bowl for his county, Sir Michael remained a life-long fan of the sport and Yorkshire Cricket Club swiftly paid tribute to him following the news of his death.

On Twitter, the club wrote: "Everyone at Yorkshire Cricket is saddened to learn of the passing of Sir Michael Parkinson.

"The thoughts of everyone are with Sir Michael's family and friends."

The club said it would hold a minute's silence before playing in York on Thursday "to show our respects".

Meanwhile, Sir Dickie said he had only spoken on the phone to Sir Michael earlier this week.

He said: "I shall miss him, I'll tell you that. Not only was he a friend, but he was a dear friend.

"I just don't know how I will cope, I will miss him so much. There'll never be another Parky."

Another close friend, and current Yorkshire managing director of cricket, Darren Gough, said: "He was a Barnsley boy, like myself, and it was an absolute pleasure to know him and his family.

"We are all devastated here at Yorkshire and thoughts of everyone at the club are with Sir Michael's family and friends at this sad time."

Former Yorkshire and England cricketing legend Sir Geoffrey Boycott, who grew up playing the sport with Sir Michael and Sir Dickie, called his friend a "top man".

Sir Geoffrey, 82, added: "He never lost lost his love of football, cricket and people and he was able to transmit that.

"He talked to people as if you were in his front room. He was a straightforward guy. It's very sad."

Sir Michael once wrote that his ambition came from his mother Freda Rose, who sold knitting patterns and, as a film buff, used to knit in the dark in the cinema.

"All her click-clacking annoyed people, but she couldn't give a damn," he wrote in The Guardian.

"She demonstrated that, no matter the circumstances, you should be what you want to be. It's an important lesson to learn."

Dickie Bird and Sir Michael receiving their honorary degrees from Huddersfield University in 2008

Switching his focus from cricket to journalism, he first joined the South Yorkshire Times, aged 16, and also worked for the Barnsley Chronicle.

He later made his way to London for work and eventually ended up living in Berkshire.

His first TV job was as a producer at Granada, and he later moved to Thames TV before landing his chat show Parkinson at the BBC.

Despite his move down south, he said: "You never lose the umbilical cord. I find that when you're not in Yorkshire and not able to look at the grandeur of it all."

Following the news of Sir Michael's death, Andrew Harrod, editor of the Barnsley Chronicle, said his "northern, unashamed Barnsley accent worked wonders".

He added: "He just had this way about him which got people to talk about all manner of subjects as if they were his best friend. They'd tell him anything."

Sir Michael pictured with his wife Lady Mary Ann Parkinson in 2008

Meanwhile, Dan Jarvis, Labour MP for Barnsley Central, also paid tribute to the TV star, calling Sir Michael an "icon".

He tweeted: "Sad to hear that Sir Michael Parkinson has passed away - Barnsley born and bred.

"His show was the place to be for anyone who was anyone. His quick wit and rare ability to make A-listers feel at ease made for unmissable TV."

Sir Michael was also a long-time supporter of his local team, Barnsley FC.

On the news of his death, the club said it had "lost one of its favourite sons and our thoughts are with his family and friends".

Sir Michael was staunchly proud of his roots and was often dubbed a "professional Yorkshireman".

But he famously once said: "If you ask a Yorkshireman where he comes from, he doesn't say a particular town or city, he says Yorkshire. It's a tribal heritage."

Sir Michael is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Mary, and three sons Michael Junior, Andrew and Nicholas.