Bio
Michael Parkinson CBE is an English journalist and television presenter best known for presenting his eponymous interview programme, Parkinson.
Parkinson has interviewed over 1,000 of the world's most famous people. He has said that he only suffered from celebrity shock once: when he interviewed his childhood hero, Keith Miller on the show.
His one professional regret was that he never got to interview Frank Sinatra.
The Meg Ryan Incident
The October 2003 appearance of episode of American movie star Meg Ryan on Parkinson's chat show has become part of British television history due to the actress's bizarre behavior in which she gave only one word answers to questions and stared icily at the host.
Ryan appeared on the program to promote her erotic thriller, In the Cut (2003), but refused to answer Parkinson's questions about the drastic change from her typical romantic comedy roles.
At one point Parkinson asked in exasperation, "What would you do now if you were me?" to which Ryan replied, "Why not wrap it up?"
About the televised debacle, Parkinson later said that Ryan was his "most difficult TV moment." He felt her rude behaviour toward his fellow guests, Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine, whom she deliberately turned her back on, was unforgivable.
Parkinson said, "I should have closed it. But listen, it happens. She was an unhappy woman. I felt sorry for her. What I couldn't forgive her for was that she was rude to the other guests."
In a 2006 interview with Marie Claire magazine, Ryan blamed Parknson's paternal manner for the failure of the interview.
Ryan said, "I don't even know the man. That guy was like some disapproving father! It's crazy. I don't know what he is to you guys, but he's a nut. I felt like he was berating me for being naked in the movie. He said something like: 'You should go back to doing what you were doing'. And I thought, are you like a disapproving dad right now? I'm not even related to you. Back off, buddy. I was so offended by him."
Ryan also underscored the difference between American and British TV interviewing styles. "I realized it's not like an American talk show where it's seven minutes and then there's a commercial break. I had to do 20 minutes straight with this guy, and I could either walk off - which wouldn't be good - or try to disagree with him very respectfully."